The Way Forward
by Siancore
Summary: Michonne is finding it difficult to deal with her feelings for Rick. Will she push him away?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own the Walking Dead

A/N: I had some time on my hands this weekend, and I'm going through serious TWD withdrawals, so this is what I came up with. Enjoy!

Michonne lay naked and satiated in Rick Grimes' tent trying to catch her breath as he withdrew his length from her pulsating wetness. He removed his body from hers and placed his arm over her flat stomach. It was the third time that week that she and Rick had stolen away from the rest of the group to give into their desires. Life in the Settlement was busy, so they both took the opportunity for sexual release when they could. Which lately, Michonne noted, had been a frequent occurrence. The summer evenings were still quite warm and it was hotter still inside the small tent. Her soft skin damp with sweat; her sweat and Rick's sweat. They did not always have the luxury of sufficient time to fully undress when they would meet in secret, but tonight Carl was busy helping Daryl on the other side of the Settlement and Maggie was watching after Judith for a while.

"I should go." She said quietly after a few moments and began to reach for her discarded clothing.

"Why don't you stay a little while longer?" Rick asked, hopeful that she might actually agree to it his time.

"You know I can't."

Was her reply as she sat up and began to dress. She pretended not to see Rick's barely hidden disappointment as he pulled his arm away from her and searched the dimly lit tent for his own clothes.

It was not easy for Michonne to be open about her emotions. She found that emotions got in the way of things. Got in the way of getting things done, and she prided herself on being efficient. For a time she was content with her relationship with Rick Grimes being purely platonic. Then, when it shifted to a physical relationship, she was content with that as well. She could handle having sex with Rick every so often; it was the other stuff that she couldn't handle. The way that she would catch Rick staring at her on occasion. The way that he had begun to want to hold her after they had sex. How Rick was being increasingly gentle with her and started asking her to stay.

The first time they had been intimate was shortly after their escape from Terminus and their brief time on the road. After reuniting with Carol, Tyreese and Judith, the group had found the Settlement that was established on the grounds of a high school. Some survivors had set it up soon after the Turn and were offering sanctuary to others. It was safe and the people seemed to be alright. Everyone pulled their weight and there was always safety in numbers, but Rick and his group were still cautious and stayed close together, choosing to set up tents near the football field. In the beginning, Rick insisted that Michonne stay with him the children. She did until she secured her own tent. Another Moment of disappointment for him. Not long after, she and Rick went on a run together where they were almost trapped inside a roadhouse by a herd of walkers. She was not certain how it had come to the point where she was laid back on a table with no pants on while Rick stood with his pants around his ankles and his cock inside of her. Maybe it was the adrenalin, maybe it was the only moment that they had been alone in a long time. Whatever it was, it happened so quickly that it made Michonne's head spin. Back at the Settlement a few days later, Rick had approached her to talk about what had happened and they ended up having sex in one of the classrooms. From then on, it had become a regular thing for them. A nice way to blow off steam.

Rick felt a little irritated with Michonne presently. He noticed that she was quite happy to let him fuck her up against a wall, but as soon as he wanted to hold her or talk to her, she put distance between them. Maybe he had different ideas about their relationship than she did. He was never that good at relating to the opposite sex, and he was definitely not good at doing casual sex. He had initiated their first encounter those months ago. They had grown closer over the past year, and being on the road together had brought them closer still. There was always a sexual tension between Rick and Michonne. It was so tense at times that the air felt thicker around them. Others in their group noticed it too, but did not say anything. They did not think Rick would ever do anything about it. The man still wore his wedding ring. Besides, he didn't seem like the type of man that would sleep around. Yes, the world had changed, but for him some things did not.

They dressed in silence as Rick thought of something to say. He chose not to say anything. With his current mood, he knew whatever he said would come out harsh, he didn't want to pick a fight. He just wanted things to be different. He wanted to stop sneaking around, he wanted Michonne; he wanted her fully and in public. He wanted her to want him back. Not just for a while. Rick didn't know how to tell her that. Didn't know if he wanted to tell her that. He was feeling a little foolish, she obviously only liked him screwing her. Nothing else. He felt silly for even thinking that it would move past the sex, that they could make something of it. Move forward. Rick sighed as he studied her profile.

"I'll see you later."

Was all she said as she smiled and crawled out of the tent. She did not like to have to seem so cold towards Rick, but she could not admit her feelings for him either; especially since she had decided to end whatever this was between them.

"Ain't you gonna tell your old man about your girlfriend?"

Daryl Dixon asked a red-faced Carl as his father approached the two of them with Judith in his arms. Rick squinted even though the afternoon sun was at his back.

"A girlfriend?" Asked Rick with raised eyebrows and a smirk.

"Yeah, a little ginger-haired girl. The boy's in love! Hey Rick, might be time to give him the talk!" Laughed Daryl as Carl screwed his face up and rolled his eyes. Rick let out a chuckle.

"Soon he'll be moving his tent away from yours!" Daryl said as he pushed the boy's hat over his face.

"Oh whatever, Daryl!" Was all Carl could say as he grabbed Judith and walked away with a slight grin on his face.

"So," started Daryl. "You gon' tell me who your girlfriend is?"

Rick looked at his friend confused. Daryl pointed to his own neck, then gestured to Rick's.

"You're a bit old now. Best leave the hickeys to Carl, yeah? Makes you look like a slut!" Daryl teased as he laughed.

He felt as if he had not seen her all day. Rick found Michonne at the rations store talking to the young man who was on duty that afternoon. Brett, if Rick remembered correctly, was leaning over the counter attentive to whatever Michonne was telling him. She did not see Rick approach, he smiled as he got closer, looking her up and down. He admired her physique. The only thing better than looking at her body was running his hands, lips and tongue over it. She was stunning to look at, but felt and tasted so much better.

Brett stood up straight as Rick got nearer and interrupted them.

"You got a sec?" Rick asked.

"Yeah, sure." Was her reply.

They began walking towards the back of the schoolyard in silence. It didn't escape her notice that she had marked his skin slightly. Her mind wandered back to the previous night as she remembered their encounter. They had had time to really explore each other, to take it slowly. It was one of the longest times they had spent together and it felt very natural. Of course, when they were done and presented with the chance to simply be in each other's presence in an intimate way that did not involve intercourse, Michonne yet again pulled away from Rick.

"I'm leaving for a run in two days, would you be able to watch after the kids?"

Michonne snapped out of her thoughts and gave Rick a small smile.

"Yeah. I can do that. How long will you be gone?" She asked.

"A day or two. Pretty routine, but ya never know how these things will go."

She nodded her head in agreement

"Hey," Rick said quietly as he scanned the yard for other people then reached for her hand, giving in a gentle squeeze.

"Thank you."

Michonne smiled sadly, nodded again, let go of his hand and walked away


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own the Walking Dead

A/N: Thank you for the reviews. I hope to continue to update frequently, but alas, semester break is almost over and I have students returning next week. I must say it's been a good break, I have been catching up on reading; writing; listening to Black Sabbath's "13" on repeat; and fangirling. My metal head side didn't even want to beat up my nerd side! Anyways, enjoy!

The heat was beginning to make Michonne feel irritable, she could not get Judith to settle and it was suffocatingly stuffy inside of Rick's god forsaken tent. It actually seemed as if he had been gone on the run for a week, instead of two days. The small child was obviously fretting for her father and had still not become used to Michonne, mainly because Michonne had not spent more than 30 minutes at a time with her alone. _Why did he even ask me to look after Judith? She doesn't know me._ She thought to herself, frustrated as she took the baby outside into the evening air. Carl was following Daryl somewhere, or maybe he was following that girl he kept talking about, Michonne was not too sure. She wanted to help Rick out by doing him this favour, but it wasn't easy by any account. She hoped that they would return early in the morning. Not just to relieve her of her babysitting duties, but because she worried when Rick was on the outside. If she could have been there to have his back, she would have felt more at ease, but for now, she had his grumpy baby to see to. She would have her time with the grumpy daddy soon enough.

Michonne walked slowly around the Settlement with Judith on her hip. She would stop every so often to speak to other survivors; they were more interested in engaging in baby talk with Judith than speaking to Michonne, but she did not mind. Things were horrifyingly different now, but there was something that had remained beautiful and true, and that was the laughter of a child. She recalled that someone had said once that it is true that all things do indeed pass when a child's sadness gives way to laughter; Michonne supposed they were right. She knew all too painfully well that when _that_ laughter was gone, the world had lost something precious.

Some of the others wondered what had happened to the mother of the baby, but nobody ever asked. They must have recognized that it was obvious what had transpired; she must have died, because that's what people did these days, they died. A few survivors speculated about what was going on between Rick and Michonne, if they were in fact together. They had arrived at the Settlement together and it was observed that the woman stayed with the man and his children for a little while. They also noticed that she only really spent time with him, his son and sometimes with that other guy with the crossbow.

"Hey! Michonne." Came the sound of the familiar feminine voice. "Wait up."

Michonne stopped and gave Sasha and her brother Tyreese a small smile.

"Rick still not back yet?" Sasha asked, looking uneasy. Judith leaned toward them and reached her hands for the man; Michonne let him take the child and rock her while the three of them stood talking.

"I thought maybe they'd show up this afternoon, but nothing. If they don't show up tomorrow, screw it, Daryl and I are going to go look for 'em." Michonne answered. "I can't sit here on my ass and wait."

Sasha and Tyreese both nodded. They knew both she and Rick Grimes were close, just how close, they were not entirely sure of. Either way, their group looked out for each other, no matter what.

"It's only natural to be concerned. Hell, we've all been a little concerned. It's his first time out there without anyone from our group. I mean, how do we even know if those guys he left with are capable of watchin' his back properly?" Asked Tyreese, with his face revealing a real and genuine alarm for the safety and wellbeing of their leader.

"Exactly." Was Michonne's reply. "We don't know what their capabilities are. I just hate not knowing if he's okay, ya know what I mean? These overnight runs are the worst. It's not good for the kids when Rick is gone like this." _And me, it's not good for me… _She thought sorely.

"How's the baby been?" Asked the young woman, trying to change the subject because she noticed the troubled look that her friend was wearing. Sasha made faces toward Judith, who smiled and giggled with sleepy eyes.

"Fretful. Hard to settle. She's not used to me and I think I'm no good with little girls." She replied, looking tired, smiling weakly. They could not tell if she was serious about her last comment. They weren't even sure what that meant.

Sasha took in Michonne's weary appearance and asked "Have you eaten at all?"

"No." was the short answer.

"Come on, let's get you some food."

Michonne and Sasha sat on the soft ground near Rick's tent while Tyreese rocked Judith to sleep. There was some food that Sasha had procured, and Michonne picked at it slowly. How could she eat when Rick was out there in goodness only knows what kind of danger? She did not fully trust the group he had gone with to be strong fighters or be able to protect him if they needed to. Rick was resilient and a survivor; but things can change quickly when you have to place trust in people who you do not know very well. Rick, in all honesty, did not fully trust the new people they had met either, but he respected them, their rules and what needed to be done for the survival of the entire populace. Michonne's mind roved to any number of different scenarios that precipitated something bad because of the ineptitude of those he had left with. They would be lost if anything were to happen to him; eventually, they might be okay, but if it happened right now, it would hit them hard. Hershel was lost to them and they were more vulnerable because of his loss, and if Rick went as well, it would hurt their group and leave them exposed.

Michonne was feeling guilty about being distant with Rick lately. She knew herself and her own needs enough to recognize it was in an attempt to protect her feelings; her heart. Regrettably, all it did was look like she was acting cold towards him. She detected disappointment in his temperament and hurt in his eyes when she behaved in a detached manner. She knew it was a ploy; a slight subterfuge to hide what she was really feeling.

Afraid. Scared. Terrified. All of those things.

Yes, this is how she felt when she thought about Rick Grimes. Not because she was afraid of him, but because she was afraid of opening her heart up to him; for taking a chance. For allowing herself to feel love again, to care about someone again, to be a part of something special with a person whom she knew was so very special. Her heart had been shattered into a million tiny pieces before because she allowed herself to love and trust. Michonne did not know if she could take that kind of pain again. Maybe it was just better to avoid Rick all together; maybe she should simply run away; but what of him? His children? The group? No, she was committed to them, to their survival, but she knew of the pain that came with sharing yourself completely with another and the fear of losing that person. She wanted to be with Rick wholly, but she was afraid of being hurt, afraid that she could not endure the aching if some ill-fated lot should befall him. Michonne was struggling to move past this, in spite of herself and her feelings for the man. At this moment in time, the very real fear and memory of the agony she had known before was doing more to drive her away than Rick's tenderness was doing to draw her nearer.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Thanks for the reviews, so glad people are enjoying this story. So, I re-watched some TWD DVD special features on the weekend, and the ever-charming Andrew Lincoln made a point that, in playing Rick Grimes, he wanted to show that nothing ever came easy for the man; all of his choices cost him, everything cost him. I guess that's what I'm trying to resonate here. He and Michonne being together is costing his emotional wellbeing at this point; he wants to move forward with their relationship, and she is holding back. They might just get there in the end, but the journey may be a little taxing. Anyways, time to check in with Rick. Enjoy!

The linoleum floor was actually not as uncomfortable as one might have thought it would be. Rick Grimes used his rucksack to cushion his head as he lay deep in thought, staring toward the ceiling of the small pharmacy floor. Several kerosene lanterns provided adequate, albeit weak light. Of the four other men, two were seated while the other two were laid out in the same manner as Rick; they spoke quietly about how they would proceed with their plan the following day. They were there to scavenge any medical supplies that they could find. Being settled in a fixed location, with a sizable group of around sixty-five people, meant that most of the surrounding areas were cleaned out of supplies long ago. The leaders of the Settlement group had to organize overnight runs to towns many miles away in order to obtain what the people needed. They were, at present, three towns away from the Settlement and, upon collecting what they had went there for, made the move to return to their camp in the early evening. At the ready, with their supplies secured and the long trip ahead of them, their truck had received a flat tyre. They agreed unanimously that it was too risky to try to change the tyre then, that they should wait until there was daylight and that they could stand to stay just one more night. The area was relatively safe, not too many walkers roaming endlessly, and it did not look like too much traffic had passed through that place in some time.

He hated being away from his family and his group, but there were things that Rick needed to do to be a productive member of the larger population. Being a strong and experienced fighter meant that he was, along with a few other survivors, often asked to go on the relatively infrequent overnight supply runs. The leaders of the Settlement had welcomed Rick and his group, so he thought it only right to assist them in any way that he could. They actually had a decent life at the camp; the people were okay and it was secure. That is exactly what his group needed. It was what he needed to look after his family properly. It also allowed him and Michonne to have the freedom to be intimate in ways that just were not feasible on the road. Rick was thankful that they had found this place, and he was doing everything that he could to ensure that his group was allowed to remain there.

Rick was thinking about his little family; he hoped that they were alright and that the children were behaving for Michonne. _Michonne._ Lately, his thoughts always turned to her. He noticed that she was really good with kids, not just his kids, but the other children at the camp as well. Rick smiled to himself when he thought about how different Michonne was when kids were around. She let down her guard and her whole body language changed; her stance was more open and she shared one of her exceptional and beautiful smiles in their presence. Rick rubbed his hand over his beard as he thought of how beautiful she was, another smile forming on his lips. He exhaled loudly and let the smile slip away and a sombre mood enveloped him. Occasionally, Rick found it almost unbearable to think about her, because it sometimes left him with a feeling of utter despair. Despair in knowing that Michonne was a rare gift that was placed in his life. Despair because she made him feel so completely happy and scared at the same time. It was sometimes unbearable to think of her because he knew that such beauty cannot last, especially in the world that they had inherited. She was like a glimpse into a wonderful eternity that he would have liked to make last over the whole expanse of time. But they did not have that kind of time. Nothing was promised. Nothing would last forever. Ultimately, the fact that she would someday be gone drove him to despair more than the impression she gave him that she did not reciprocate his feelings.

Hearty laughter forced Rick's mind from his sad thoughts of Michonne. He missed her more than he would like to admit, and was finding difficult not to let it contaminate his mood as of late. The other men detected that he was quiet and always in deep thought; Rick rarely joined in on their cheerful banter. He resigned himself to the fact that he was there to do a job, not to become best buddies with the men, all of whom were much younger than he was. In honesty, he did not think they really had too much to talk about. He was not keen to get in on the discussion about which type of man was he; tits, ass or both. He didn't even notice _other_ women anymore…

"Shit man," began Brandon, a young darkhaired man in his mid-twenties. He was addressing Rick. "There's some fuckin' fine looking women in your group."

"Hell yeah there are!" Chimed in one of the others.

Rick realized they were speaking to him, he chortled half-heartedly and shrugged.

"Guess I ain't really noticed." Was his reply, as he remained in the same reclined position, not bothering to look at the others.

"Piss off you ain't noticed? Don't bullshit me man. We all noticed." Brandon said, amused at Rick's reply.

They then went on to describe how _that lesbian got some nice tits; the skinny one is too much of a woman for that Asian guy; the Hispanic and black chick are fuckin' hot and would get it; the shorthaired one is still lookin' good for an old chick and would get it too; the one with the dreads got the nicest ass and must give the best fuckin' blow jobs with those nice lips._

"Hey," Rick said as he shifted into a sitting position. "Assholes, wanna show some fuckin' respect?"

He stared the four men down, with obvious disdain encompassing him. They stopped talking and laughing and turned to look at Rick, a little taken aback by his sudden statement.

"Jesus man, we're only joking 'round. No need to get all serious." Offered one of them.

"I don't think disrespectin' women is a joke, 'specially when it comes to the women in my group." Said Rick, looking from one man to the next. Their faces dropped, the cheerful mood was extinguished by his abrupt scolding.

"Which one are you fuckin' then, uh Grimes?" asked the blonde man, Thom.

Rick focussed his gaze to the young man and squinted slightly. He could feel the ire rising from the pit of his stomach as his face began to feel hot. He stood and walked towards Thom, never breaking his gaze. The younger man stood as well and wore a look of cockiness that proved that he was either very bold or very stupid.

"I bet it's that black bitch with the sword. Tell you what, when she gets tired of you, send her my way so I can fuck that pretty mouth."

At hearing that, Rick saw red, his rage became evident in his face. Without thinking too much about consequences, he clenched his fist, swung his arm and connected with Thom's jaw. The young man went down to the floor with a heavy thud, as the others jumped to their feet to make a move on Rick. He quickly drew his gun and held it to Thom's head, stopping the others in their tracks.

"Back the fuck up!" Rick spat. "Or I'll blow noodles outta this motherfucker's head!"

They slowly backed away, trying to tell Rick to be cool and to put the gun away. Blood spilled from Thom's lip as he cowered at Rick's feet.

"I'm sorry, man. I didn't mean it. Please man, I…I, I'm sorry." He cried, with his eyes to the floor and sweat forming on his brow.

"Shut the fuck up!" Rick exclaimed, as he pressed his gun to the young man's temple.

"You ever disrespect the women in my group again, you ever talk about _her _again, or even so much as look in her direction, then the next person I'll be fuckin' is you!"

With that, Rick spat on the floor next to the bloodied and trembling man, walked backward with his gun still pointed at them, grabbed his rucksack and walked out the door.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own the Walking Dead, but if I did, Rick Grimes would get to call people 'motherfuckers' more often!

A/N: Thanks for the reviews! Rick really is a gentleman, but as we've seen, can also be fierce when he needs to be. I wanted to make note of how much he actually does for his group, how he wants safety for them above all else. With all the weight of his responsibilities, he must find it hard to breathe sometimes. What a champ! Anyways, back to it…

The trip back to the Settlement was proving to be awkward and silent. After the previous night's altercation between Rick and Thom, everyone felt a bit on edge. Rick was still very annoyed at the young men. After everything that he and his group had been through, he was done with taking shit from people, _especially from some snot nosed little punks like these pricks, _he thought sourly. If they showed him and his respect then that was fair enough; that was all that he asked, but he would not tolerate contempt. He did not want, nor did he expect, Thom or Brandon or any of them to become "President of the Rick Grimes Fan Club". Hell, he didn't even give two shits and a flying fuck if they liked him; but they _would _respect him. Letting other people get away with disregarding him and his group had cost them dearly in the past; Rick was not about to let it happen again. There was too much at stake now, he had to be a strong leader, he could not pull any punches. Whatever happened after they got back to the camp, Rick would bear the brunt of the consequences alone; he had to put the needs of his people first.

Rick did not speak to any of the other men; he just sat staring out of the back passenger's window, with one hand on his side arm. He had spent the night in the truck, got up early and changed the flat tyre himself before the others were even awake. Rick was not in any mood to be stuck out here any longer than they already had been; he wanted to get back to his family.

Shortly before they had left, the other four men had come outside after the sun had risen enough to enable them to see clearly. They had wanted to sort their car troubles, and be on their way. Brandon spotted Rick Grimes leaning against the truck. _Shit_ thought the young man._ I thought this asshole left_. He did not want to see a repeat of what had happened the night before. After Thom had stopped his pitiful sobbing and regained his composure, he became angry with Rick. Brandon and the others advised him not to engage the man further; _he was obviously unstable_, they had concluded. Best to wait and get back to the Settlement, Rick Grimes would be dealt with then.

Brandon nodded toward the older man, Rick acknowledged him then walked behind the truck, suddenly, he stopped and faced the group. The only thing he had said was directed at Thom.

"What happened before," he started, in his southern drawl. "What you said, what I said, I ain't gonna talk about it again, understand? Y'all ready? Let's go."

And with that, they left.

Meanwhile, back at the Settlement, Michonne was already up and about looking for Daryl just in case Rick and the supply run group did not return that day. She had a bad feeling that something had gone wrong, and wanted to go and find them. With Judith on her hip and an air of purpose in her step, she found Daryl over by one of the fences that needed to be repaired.

_Psst…_Daryl turned around.

"Hey, what's up?"

"Will you be ready later if they don't come back today?"

"You know it." He replied, walking over to where she stood holding the small child. Daryl dusted his hands on his jeans and took Judith from Michonne's arms.

"Hey, Lil' Asskicker, don't fret, your daddy will be back soon, okay." He said, placing a sweet kiss on Judith's head as she leaned into his chest.

"And don't you go frettin' too much either, girl." He said to Michonne, and smiled slightly at her.

She returned his gesture and kind words with a weak smile of her own. She had come to accept that Daryl most likely knew that their relationship entailed that she and Rick were more than just friends; that they had feelings for one another, anyone who spent five minutes with the pair of them could see it. It seemed they were the only ones who were in denial about it. All the same, Daryl knew it was difficult for them to give voice to those feelings, so he just let them sort through what they needed to do and did not raise the issue with them. He was happy for Rick and Michonne, and hoped that they could find a way to be openly happy with each other.

"Michonne?"

She turned around to see Carl standing behind her; a very real seriousness had covered his expression that made her feel faintly sad for him. It could not be easy growing up in this world; every so often Michonne would try to do things with Carl to remind him of what it meant to be a kid. Playing silly little games or talking about their beloved comic books. While he had to grow up faster than he normally would have before all of this happened, it was still important for the boy to remember who he was. She wanted Carl to, at the very least, have some good memories as well.

"Hey you. Everything alright?" She asked, a tenderness washing over her.

Carl went and sat beside her on the ground while Judith lay on a blanket in the shade of the tree, chewing on a toy that someone had brought back from a run for her.

"My dad's been gone too long, right?" He said sadly, distractedly plucking some grass from the ground and tossing it aside. "They should've been back by now."

Michonne exhaled deeply; it was true, the sun was high in the sky now and Rick and the others should have actually returned the previous night.

"Yeah, you're right. It's been too long. Let's just hope they show up soon." Was all she could muster at that moment, she did not want Carl to feel too upset. These things happened, people caused you to worry, but he had to learn to keep his head up. He was a tough kid and she hoped that he could remember to be gentle as well, but mostly she hoped that he could adapt and cope with whatever obstacles were thrown in front of him. He had managed well so far.

"Why don't you take your sister for a walk? Kill some time while we wait for your dad. Shouldn't be too much longer now."

Carl nodded in agreement and quickly scooped up Judith. Michonne watched them walk away.

Michonne still felt pangs of guilt rising up from deep inside of her. She still felt bad about acting coldly towards Rick before he had left. Now, she feared, she may never get the chance to tell him what she was really feeling. In an attempt to protect her own emotional state, she knew she had hurt Rick and his. Now, she had no way of being sure if she would ever see him again, if she would ever have the chance to make things right between them. If she would ever get to feel his hot breath on her skin again; to taste him on her lips once more; to feel him inside of her another time; to let him hold her into the night; to have him place soft caresses on her body; to wake up beside him, safe and happy in his strong, loving embrace. She had been foolish to try to push him away. Rick could be lost to her forever, she had come to realize that now; now that he was out there in the uncertainty of the outside world.

"Hey! 'Chonne!" Yelled the familiar sound of Daryl's voice.

"They're back!"

Michonne jumped to her feet and ran toward the front gate where the truck that had left two days ago was being let through; a group of other worried survivors were already amassed there. She squinted her eyes to see if they were all there; to see if Rick was there. _Fuck. _She thought, as she approached the vehicle that had come to a halt and the men got out. _I can't see him._ Her heart sank and her breathing quickened as panic set then, a tired and annoyed looking Rick, rucksack slung over his shoulder, vacated the back seat of the truck. Their eyes met, as his look softened as he began to walk toward her. Michonne, out of relief that he had returned, rushed forward and threw her arms around his neck. She pulled Rick into a tight hug, and then, not caring who was around to see them, forcefully pressed her lips to his. Rick took a second to realize what was happening, he then let his rucksack fall to the ground as he wrapped his arm around Michonne's slender waist, pulled her flush against him and deepened their kiss.

Carl finally arrived at the scene with Judith. He was surprised to see his father and Michonne locked into a passionate embrace, but was happy that they had admitted what he had suspected for some time now; that they were more than just friends. Michonne reluctantly broke their embrace as she heard Daryl Dixon's wolf whistle and turned to see Carl, Judith and the others approaching. Rick dropped to his knee and held his children. The others all welcomed him back and patted his shoulder, hugged him or shook his hand. They all then began to unpack the medical supplies from the truck, as Rick, holding Judith with one arm, and the other placed across Carl's shoulder began to walk to where their tents were set up. Michonne went to help the others unpack, but heard Rick call out to her.

"Michonne? You comin'?" He asked as he gave Thom a distrustful look.

She turned to Daryl and said, with a grin on her face: "I gotta go."

Michonne sprinted up to where Rick and the children were waiting for her, and took his rucksack for him. They were all in such high spirits that no one even noticed the look of disdain that had come across the face of the young blonde man, Thom.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own the Walking Dead, if I did there would be more adult situations!

A/N: Thank you all for the wonderful reviews; they made me smile and have a little laugh to myself. So, in this instalment we have some joking, teasing and adult situations. Enjoy!

Carol and Tyreese had prepared dinner for their group that evening, to welcome Rick back after a dangerous run. They had a canvas covering a makeshift kitchen and some picnic tables set up just beside the cooking area. Some people, mainly the women in their group, sat at the tables, while the men were happy to take up a place on the ground. The evening was quite pleasant; not as hot as the previous one and a slight breeze allowed the survivors to feel comfortable while they ate, laughed and enjoyed each other's company. Rick spoke quietly to Daryl, while the others all seemed too engrossed in their own conversations to notice the seriousness of his tone.

"We got into some shit on that run." Rick said quietly to Daryl, leaning in so that no one else could hear them.

"What happened, man?"

"Got into a fight with that asshole Thom, the others tried to jump in so I drew my gun on 'em."

Daryl raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"What the fuck? Why were y'all fightin'?" asked his friend, wearing a concerned expression.

"He's a disrespectful little prick. They were talkin' shit about the girls. You know, like making sexual comments about 'em. _He_ was being a real little shit. I called him out on it, he got in my face, so I dropped him."

Daryl nodded, understanding Rick did what he had to. Knowing that Rick would defend the women in their group.

"I don't trust him, I got a feelin' he might try somethin'. Daryl, I put my gun to his head, he ain't gonna let that go; no way. The kids are gonna stay with Carol tonight, will you stay close to them? I don't think it's safe for 'em to be around me right now."

"Of course, man, whatever you need. Maybe you shouldn't be alone either, just to be safe."

At that suggestion Rick instinctively looked to where Michonne was sitting with Carl; Daryl's eyes followed his line of sight and he snickered.

"Right, right. I forgot, you won't be alone tonight, will ya? You got sexy samurai takin' care of that ass!" He said, not being able to hold back the laughter. Rick was amused with his joking, but at the same time knew very well that Michonne was going to be by his side.

Rick dropped his head, let a wide grin play on his face and looked back at his friend and mouthed _fuck you._

_I love you too_ was what Daryl mouthed back as the seriousness of the mood was lifted for a moment while they joked around.

After mealtime, Judith and Carl went to stay with Carol. Carl made a little protest, but the previous solemn mood his father was in made him realize not to push him too much; he would let it go for the night. Michonne was clearing up the table when Rick sidled up beside her.

"Hey, can we talk?" he asked Michonne as she looked to Maggie, whom she was helping, for approval to leave.

"It's fine, I got this." Maggie said cheerfully, and bid them goodnight.

Michonne nodded toward their friend and placed the stack of plates that she had in the tub of water. They walked toward Rick's tent as he explained what had transpired out on the run between him and the other men. She was immediately worried for his safety, fearful that the others would look for retaliation, but she did not want Rick to be weighed down by it tonight; she wanted to take his mind off it. Coming to a stop, she faced him and asked, in a flirtatious manner.

"Rick Grimes, were you defending my honor?"

He smiled widely, "Yeah, I guess I was."

He stepped closer to her, looking serious now and said, "I don't want some other guy talkin' about you that way. Thinkin' about you that way. Hell, I don't even want him lookin' at you. Him, any other guys, other girls, whoever, from now on they don't get to look at you."

Michonne swallowed hard as she stared at the man before her, letting her gaze fall to his mouth. His slight possessiveness was a turn on for her, even though she was surprised by it. She smiled and chortled a little.

"You can't stop people from lookin' at me, Rick." She said softly, as she used both hands to smooth the front of his shirt out.

"Hmm, I dunno Michonne. I think my gun says otherwise." He grinned roguishly, tapping his hand to the Colt that was in its holster.

"Stop." She let out, somewhat amused by his reply and enjoying their repartee. They stared at each other for what seemed like hours.

"What do you suggest I do, uh? Just hide out in your tent all day?" She asked quietly, teasingly.

Now he laughed, stepping closer and rubbing his hands up and down her upper arms. "You can stay in my tent for as long as you like."

She beamed playfully at him, rapped her fingers on his chest then turned her body from him.

"So," She offered as she began to walk away from Rick, then looked over her shoulder at him, asking in a confident tone. "We're having a sleepover tonight?"

"Sure," was his reply. "But you've got a long night ahead of you and won't be gettin' much sleep."

As Rick slid his rough hand between Michonne's legs, he was pleasantly surprised to find that she was already wet for him. Their already discarded clothes thrown in a pile in the corner of Rick's tent, and their naked bodies, by this time, yearning for each other; all hot and wet and sweet and aching. He felt his hardness stir as he dipped two fingers into her opening and heard her breath hitch. She pulled his hand away as she captured his mouth with hers and shifted her position so that she was straddling Rick's lap as he was seated. She did not break their kiss as his hands came to rest on her round bottom, trying to urge her sweet centre toward his aching member so that he could be buried in her tight, wet warmth. Michonne kneeled so that she was positioned over Rick, forcing his head to tilt back as she hungrily continued to kiss him. A little roughly and to his dissatisfaction, she broke the kiss and ever so forcefully pushed him until he was flat on his back, lips swollen and panting; a wicked grin crossing his face. He tried to reach for her, to cup her breast or stroke her mound, but she quickly grabbed his hands, and placed them at his side. He complied with her wishes and was happy to lay there staring at her perfect, naked form; his cock hard and thick just for her. Michonne ran her own hands over his chest and torso; she leaned forward and placed kisses on his scars gently, lovingly. She then moved her mouth over to his nipple and slowly licked it; she trailed kisses all the down his stomach. She finally reached his hardness and took him between both of her hands, firmly grasping his length. She returned one hand to his abdomen and continued to run her fingers over his flat stomach, as her other deft hand pulled the length of his cock upward in slow, teasing motions. Rick felt his body respond to her touch and could not hold back the most devilishly delightful sound she had ever heard. She rubbed his thickness over and over; again and again, happy with the delicious moans that were escaping from his throat. She stopped her motions, causing his eyes to open, and slowly brought her lips to the tip of Rick's hot, hard cock. He suddenly felt the wet sensation of Michonne's mouth and skilful tongue on his most sensitive area as she used her lips and hands to elicit even deeper moans and heavier breathing from him.

_"__Fuck."_ He breathed out hoarsely as she used her teeth to lightly and playfully alternate between nibbling and licking the length of his hardness. She was absolutely insatiable and in control; she even allowed his hand to come to a rest at the back of her head. Michonne then used her plump lips to wrap around Rick's already dripping tip and sucked him harder still as her tongue darted over the opening at the end of his cock. Rick tasted salty as he quivered and huskily whispered her name. Just as Rick thought he would be pushed over the edge by her adept mouth, Michonne stopped what she was doing to him. He groaned because he knew exactly what she was aiming for, bringing him to the brink, then easing off to prolong his pleasure. She really was skilled at lovemaking and knew just what his body liked.

Rick realized then that he was going to be the one with the long night ahead if Michonne kept her teasing up.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own the Walking Dead

A/N: Firstly, I'm very excited having seen the S5 trailer for TWD! It looks great; I can hardly wait until October! Also, how hot did Danai Gurira look at SDCC? She is the most stunningly beautiful woman I have ever seen *fans myself*. Anyways, before I pass out, thanks for the reviews; so glad you liked the previous chapter (deep down in your pants LOL).

Now, a few responses:

literacturechick: Rick and Daryl are great friends. I love Daryl's playful banter that surfaces in the show (especially the line from S3x1: "While the others wash their panties, let's go huntin'. That owl didn't exactly hit the spot." He's quite funny when you listen to him.

Lanie: to answer your question, which made me smile, I'm a teacher by trade, so realistically, I don't have the time to be writing – but, it's my guilty pleasure, and I'm obsessing over Michonne at the moment (total girl crush).

Alex311: I could barely type it when I was imaging how it would happen!

KyannaLashae: thank you for the lovely compliment, you are too kind!

Anyways, back to it: this is the one in which we get some insight into _why_ Michonne kept trying to push Rick away; and where the proverbial asshole Thom makes his move. Enjoy!

Michonne never realized how nice it would feel, waking up in his arms. She had distanced herself so much from him in the past few weeks that she was never presented with the opportunity to do so. She was the person to blame for this because she actively declined Rick's offers to spend the entire night with him. Now that she had finally woken up beside Rick, resting on his arm, while the other arm was draped possessively across her body, in that moment in the calmness of the dawn, she did not imagine that she would want to wake up any other way. She moved slightly and carefully, trying not to wake him, and positioned herself so that she might look upon his face while he slept.

Rick Grimes breathed softly, deep in sleep in the pale morning light. She thought he looked so peaceful, his face not stricken with worry or dread; just touched with peace and tranquillity in the early morning hours. She examined his features closely, taking note of every single line that patterned his handsome face. He actually looked much younger while he was asleep, she noticed it before when they were on the road, but now, up close, she could see the difference; he did not seem plagued by the terrible nightmares anymore. She imagined he had come to terms with this existence, with all of the horrors that had occurred and he had witnessed. She remembered the first time she saw him, which felt like so long ago, when he was standing at the fence of the prison just staring at her in disbelief; a look of confusion etched across his features. Only later did she come to understand that he had been hallucinating; seeing things, seeing people. She must have seemed like a haunting spectre standing there at that fence, beaten and bloodied, surrounded by walkers and holding the baby formula.

Afterwards, when she came to know Rick some more, she realized that he was tormented because of loss in similar ways that she had been tormented. She had learned to hide her emotions so that they did not surface and become manifest in her physical form; as a readable expression, a giveaway clue into what lie at the core of her deepest pain and suffering. But with Rick, from the start she could see the anguish in his expression; the worry, terror, sadness and pain was all there in his face. The confusion and fear was there, when he was seeing things. Even his frustrations at being the leader of his people were all evident in the expression he wore; Rick was like an open book to her. While he did not always _say _what he was feeling, Michonne could see it as plain as day written across his face. _Memories, bad memories, like ink on a page._

She thought back to what he looked like before the downfall of everything they had recognized, identified with and celebrated. She had not known Rick before the world had ended, but she had seen a photograph of him, his wife and Carl, the photograph that she helped rescue so long ago. What a difference this world had made on his appearance. He looked young back then, he was smiling…and happy. She sighed and sat up. Michonne did not imagine that she could make Rick happy like that, especially in this day and age; with all of the uncertainty, ugliness and death. She wanted to make him smile, but she feared that all she would do was bring him pain. Pain that he did not deserve; he was such a good man, he deserved to be with someone who could make him happy, not someone he felt he needed to protect and worry about. Someone who made it easier for him to survive in this world, not someone who would slow him down. _Listen to yourself, _she thought. _You're acting like he cares enough about you to be hurt if anything happened. They never love you enough, Michonne. They always like you for a while, use you up and then throw you away. They never love you enough._

The previous day, she had missed him so much and had feared she would never see him again. She let her emotions overwhelm her. She allowed a level of intimacy that she was sure would only make their inevitable separation all the more difficult for her. _Shit. _She thought. _What are we even doing here?_ She exhaled deeply, sadly; annoyed with herself for letting her mind ruin and contaminate the nice moment she was having watching Rick sleep, and annoyed for actually believing they could move forward, together. Her doubts always found a way to creep back in. She wiped a tear that had escaped her eye and rolled down her face.

Disheartened by her own doubts about Rick's true intentions towards her, as well as her own self-worth, she began to dress slowly, readying herself to sneak off before he was roused. It was too late; Rick began to stir next to her. He opened his eyes, yawned and blinked several times in rapid succession as he became accustomed to the light; he focussed his gaze on Michonne and smiled brightly, almost lovingly, she thought sadly.

"Hey." He said gruffly, clearing his throat before sitting up and placing a gentle kiss to Michonne's bare shoulder as he absentmindedly rubbed her back.

"Good morning." She replied, a slight smile gracing her beautiful face, one that did not reach her eyes; it did not escape his notice as she slipped her tank top over her head.

"What's going on? Where are you going?" He asked his brow furrowing and eyes narrowing. She closed her eyes and exhaled loudly, wearing a pained expression.

"Hey, hey. Look at me." He urged, gently cupping her chin to turn her face towards him. "Were you just gonna take off without wakin' me?"

She looked into his eyes, and then looked away; there was a spot on the tent covering that seemed particularly interesting to her at the moment as she avoided his gaze.

"Maybe," she whispered. "I don't know, Rick. I mean, what is this?" She used her hand to gesture between them.

Rick looked confused, the day before, he was certain she was ready to move forward; she had openly embraced him in front of their friends and his children, she had spent the entire night with him and fell asleep in his arms. What was the issue now?

"What d'ya mean, Michonne? I thought we were okay? After yesterday, _last night._ I thought you were ready to be with me." He stated, feeling let down. He tried to think of a reason as to why she might not be ready. He knew she was not at all a selfish person, so it had to be something to do with an outside influence, or Rick himself. He thought a moment longer, slightly annoyed that she would not look at him.

"Is this because of those assholes from the run?" He asked, as he pulled on his undergarments and trousers, and at the same time tried to get her to look at his face. "Michonne!" He spoke a little louder now, frustration evident in his voice.

"No!" She raised her voice as well as she turned to him. "Maybe, I don't know!" She felt deflated now, just as he did. "It's just that, you could get hurt, and it's because of me! I don't want to be that person; I don't want you to have to worry about _me_. I don't want you to be in pain 'cause of me. I'm not worth it."

He furrowed his brows even more as he quietly listened to what she had to say.

"And I don't know what the hell this is that we're doing, but I don't know if I _can _do it."

Rick exhaled loudly, closed his eyes and rubbed his hand across his beard. He was beginning to become anxious. S_he's trying to tell me to fuck off, _he thought.

"What are you trying to say? Just fuckin' spit it out!" He did not mean for his words to come out as angry as they did, but he was tired of her giving him a little piece of hope that they could be together, then snatching it away from him again.

"I'm not good enough for you, Rick." She said in a defeated, plaintive way. "Not for the long run. _This," _she pointed to herself and to him. "This is just you getting your dick wet. I'm never going to be good enough. Don't put yourself in danger because of me." She could almost hear her mother's words; _useless; no good; slut; no one will ever love you…_

Michonne was visibly upset by now. She brought her knees to her chest and hugged them as she turned her head away from Rick, so he would not see her tears. She was not used to people treating her kindly and showing her affection. Her life had been one heartache after the other. The only joy she had found recently was when she let Rick and his children into her life. She could not handle it, did not know how to deal with it; and now that she had opened up to the possibility that she and Rick could be together, it frightened her. She was afraid of so many things; afraid that he would get hurt because of her and his children would be left fatherless; afraid that he would hurt her; afraid that he didn't really mean it when he held her so close and kissed her so softly; afraid that she was in love with him and he was faking it, just using her. She reverted to what she knew best, and that was to blame herself anytime someone hurt her. Was it always going to be how her mama said it would be, she would be alone, and it would be her fault? Like when her daddy hurt her, it was her fault; when Mike hurt her, it was her fault; when Andre died, it was her fault because she was not good enough to have something wonderful and beautiful in her life.

"Don't say those things." He whispered and placed his hand to her back. "Why would you even say those things?" Rick asked sadly, he really loathed to see her like this. In fact, he had rarely seen her like this; vulnerable and unsure of herself.

"Because I don't know any other way." She said, through her tears.

"Hey, it's okay. It's okay." He said gently, in a hushed tone as he brought his arm around her shoulder. "Please, tell me what I did wrong. We can fix it."

"It's not you, Rick. You're a good person. It's me. I'm just scared. You're so good to me, sometimes I think I don't deserve it. I don't deserve you. I'm scared that something bad will happen to you." She paused, and a distant look played on her features

"People who said they've cared about me before just used me and hurt me and I'm scared that you're just playin' around with me too. I…"

He stopped her before she could get the next sentence out.

"Don't think that way. This thing here, whatever it is between us, I'm committed to it; I'm committed to you. You're not some game I'm playin'. I'm serious about you; I thought you would've known by now. I can't help the way I feel when I'm with you, I can't help it that I wanna protect you and keep you close to me. You make me wanna be a good person, keep on bein' a decent person. Don't ever think like that about yourself, Michonne. Don't ever think I'm using you."

There was a moment of silence between them as Michonne gazed to the ground and considered Rick's words.

"I'm sorry people have hurt you in the past. I'm so sorry if I've hurt you, if I've scared you. If I've come on too strong. I understand now. I didn't mean to make you feel pressured into bein' with me…"

"No," she interrupted, her eyes serious and locked on to his. "I've never felt pressured, you've never forced me to do anything I didn't wanna do." She looked into his eyes as he used his hand to wipe away her tears. She shuffled a little closer to Rick, and leaned against him as he drew her into an embrace. He carefully and slowly pulled her to his chest as he lay back down, holding her and rubbing her back soothingly.

"It's okay to be a lil' scared, sometimes it shows how much we care. Can you hear my heart thumpin' in my chest?" He asked her. She shifted her head slightly as she heard his heart beating a fraction too fast for what was a normal pace.

"It's racin' because I'm scared. I'm scared I'm never gonna get the chance to show you how much you mean to me. I'm scared I'm gonna lose you before you're even really mine…"

Now he felt sadness overwhelm him, as he trailed off. This was the first time they had been so open with each other about their emotional state, and he was not sure if he was saying what he wanted to say properly and in a way that would not drive Michonne further away from him. Rick meant everything he had said to her; he could see now that she did not have highest opinion of her own worth, her own merit. He had seen it before, heard women speak like that before in his old life; when he was working domestic and family violence cases or cases where someone had been abused. He felt a quick heat of white rage form in his stomach as he thought briefly about the unknown people whom she said had hurt her before; what they might have done to her. He would not ask, if she wanted to tell him about it, he would be patient and wait. He was already afraid of losing her and he was afraid that she would never know the depths of his feelings for her, how much he truly did care. He was happy to be holding her at that moment, and to try to give her some reassurances that it was normal to feel a slightly scared when you put your heart on the line.

"It's hard out here on your own," he continued, her head still resting on his chest and her arm thrown over his bare abdomen. "It's good to have someone to make you feel less like you're alone all the time. You don't make me weaker or more vulnerable; you don't put me in danger, you make me stronger. We're stronger together, you gotta see that, Michonne." He said, almost pleading with her, certain that she was taking in what he was saying. Hoping that she would see things as he did, that she was indeed worthy, that she deserved to be happy just as much as he did; that they could find a way forward, together.

She lifted her head, and stared into his eyes.

"I see it now, Rick." She whispered. She believed him; she knew he was telling the truth. Just as she knew the weight that he carried, the pain he had endured; it was all there, written across his expression and evident in his eyes. She wiped her tears, offered him a weak smile and placed a chaste kiss to his lips before she returned to rest her head against his chest and listened to the strong beating of his heart.

The Council that oversaw the running of day-to-day business at the Settlement was situated in the administration building of the school. They were having their weekly Security Meeting to ascertain the ongoing viability of staying in the Settlement. The Security Teams were reporting that no real threats were to be feared and that the grounds themselves still remained safe for all that lived there.

"Excuse me," started the young man. "These guys have a security threat to report." As he ushered in the four men who had only just returned from the medical supply run the day before; they stood in front of the Council, waiting to be asked to speak. John, a man in his late fifties and the unofficial main leader of the Settlement looked to the men and said, "Alright, state your business."

"There's a dangerous person livin' here. He assaulted Thom while we were on the supply run, and he pulled his gun on the rest of us when we tried to help." Offered Brandon, ensuring his tone sounded fearful.

"Who is it, and why didn't you come to us yesterday?" Council member Melanie asked, looking concerned and somewhat bewildered. They had had some unsteady, undesirable types staying in the Settlement before. While they could not do anything about the character of a person, they could do something if physical violence or a threat had occurred.

"He threatened to kill us while we were asleep if we told anyone. We only decided to come to y'all this mornin' because he didn't try anythin' on us last night. It was Rick Grimes; he's unstable. He tried to kill us!" Screeched Brandon, acting as panic-stricken as seemed genuine.

John looked from Brandon to Thom and noticed that he had some bruising to his jaw and that his lip was split, a decidedly fresh wound. The older man's face became serious. He observed Thom, with narrow eyes and asked, "Is this true, son?"

"Yeah, dad. It's true." Said Thom to his father as his head dropped and his gaze fell to the floor.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I do not own the Walking Dead

A/N: Thanks for the reviews and messages and to everyone who is reading my musings; it is always much appreciated.

A few responses:

TheRealSusannahDean: Yes, our beloved Michonne is hard on herself sometimes; she needs to take strength in knowing that people actually do love her. So many feels indeed! Lol

Amrcncpprhd & literacturechick: It is really nice when they are on the same page and get their feelings across; I think Rick is a man of integrity and he would not have let her walk away upset without trying to find out _what _was really going on. Also, Thom's father could be troublesome…Hmm we shall see.

Lanie_Love: That's awesome! It's not really a common name. I actually met a girl with a nice face named Melanie, so I used her name lol I find inspiration in weird places!

Nin & Alex311: Thank you! You really do flatter me. I'm just glad you are enjoying my writing!

Now, where were we? Oh yes, the one where Rick Grimes' fate hangs in the balance and the conversation becomes focussed on Michonne's butt. Enjoy!

The whirring sound of the arrow cut through the morning air as it swiftly and accurately found its target; the hideously rotted head of a slight but lanky walker. It fell to the ground in an unceremonious manner as Daryl Dixon pulled another arrow from his quiver to drop yet another walking corpse. A small group of them had breached the perimeter earlier in the morning and were discovered chewing through some of the livestock that the survivors had been raising; all but a few of the animals had been lost. Now Daryl, Michonne and Tyreese were dispatching them quite efficiently as a few others made their way on the scene.

"What happened here?" Asked Charles, a stocky man in his late 40s with a receding hairline and a missing front tooth.

"Breached the fence just over there." Ty answered, a little short of breath as he motioned to the fence where Rick was mending the damaged section. Michonne cut down the last walker and flicked the blood from her sword and examined it.

"How?" Charles asked, looking concerned and annoyed at the same time. Rick fastened the last section of fence with wire, removed his gloves and walked over to where the group was talking to the man with all the questions.

"We're not sure of _how._" Offered Rick, staring at Charles and sounding annoyed himself. "But shit, it happens. Gotta be vigilant, keep an eye out for these things."

The older man looked at Rick seemingly exasperated at the way he had been spoken to. Not too many of the men in the Settlement particularly liked Rick Grimes; they found it peculiar that, while he and his group were part of the larger group, there was still _his group._ Some had spoken scornfully about how Rick and the others had been at the Settlement long enough and should have assimilated into the wider population forthwith. They camped away from the others; they ate with their own; and they had an odd and mainly exclusive allegiance with one another. It was very difficult to infiltrate their ranks; yes they were friendly, would smile and make conversation, but they were very reserved and wary of whom they let in. As far as they knew, Rick was the only one from their group that actively participated in a supply run without another member of his group present. It was almost as if he did not trust the survivors at the Settlement with his people, they often thought, sneering behind his back. He was obviously the alpha-male of their group; the leader. His people trusted his judgement and fell in line with what he said. He had an air of authority, and the others had heard that he was a police officer in his former life; they guessed that some people never really lost their persona, not entirely. His woman, the one with the sword, was the strongest fighter of the women, so it was only natural that she be with him; and his children were still alive, which was not a common occurrence in this new existence, so he had to be a fierce and strong protector. Rick kept pretty much to himself, the others had surmised, and he seemed to like it that way.

"I'll go up to the Council and let 'em know about the breach." Said Charles as he began to walk away.

"Hold up!" Called Daryl. "I'll come too."

"Oh, there ain't no need, I got this." Replied Charles, not bothering to stop.

"With respect," started Rick, causing Charles to halt and turn to face the group. "You weren't here to take care of the walkers _or_ the fence, Daryl was. I know we'd feel a whole lot better if he went to deliver the report to the Council." Stated Rick, his whole demeanour exuded control and command. His eyes emanated a stern, cold expression as he looked at the older man. He made Charles feel edgy, they had heard how long he and his group were out on the road and some of the troubles that they had faced. This Rick Grimes was all about business, he was shrewd and calm, almost to the point of it being uncomfortably uneasy to be around him when he was focussed on you, thought Charles. He did not want to argue with this man, so he agreed to take Daryl along to the meeting. Although, all he did was point Daryl in the general direction of where the Council's security meeting was currently being held, and walked off in a distinctly worse mood than he had been in before.

_Asshole,_ thought Daryl, as he approached the administration building. After he had spoken to the usher at the door, Daryl was seated and waited alone a short while in the corridor, tapping his right foot as he crossed his arms over his chest; he chuckled a little to himself as he remembered what it had felt like to be waiting outside the principal's office. Suddenly, the door flung open and out stepped four men, Daryl recognized them as being the same ones who were on the supply run with Rick. They looked at him with smug expressions on their faces, and stared him down. Daryl, not one to shy away from a bunch of pretentious pricks, returned their stares and proceeded to spit on the floor where they had just stepped. He smiled a haughty grin at them, and watched them walk out the door. _This place is full of assholes, _he thought as he waited patiently to be seen by the Council members.

Michonne sat with Carl at one of the picnic tables while they ate lunch, she vaguely thought that they should drag it to the shade of the tree where Rick sat feeding Judith and watching Michonne. The sun was particularly hot and relentless that day, and the boy had his hat pulled low to his face as he looked anxious to get back to his duties. Michonne wondered if that girl had anything to do with his quiet mood, she grinned and playfully tossed some scraps of food at him.

"Hey!" he exclaimed, returning her smile. "You don't work the garden in the heat to be wastin' food!"

"Ha! That's all you talk about these days Carl, the garden! Tell me, what's so exciting about the garden, uh? Can't be the plants, must be the company." She quipped, knowing that a certain young girl also worked the garden with Carl. Rick smiled, listening to their exchange.

The boy's face turned red, but not from the heat; he knew she was talking about Shelly. He thought of something he could say to get back at her for teasing him. His father was close by and obviously heard what they were talking about, it was embarrassing enough that Rick gave Carl funny looks whenever the girl giggled at something the boy had to say, now Michonne was starting to tease him too.

"Oh well, if you must know," started Carl wearing a smug look. "It's good working the garden, the people are nice, aren't they dad?" He offered, drawing Rick into their conversation. Rick grinned and nodded as Michonne gave him a wink. "But Michonne, we all can't work the rations store like you and, what's his name? The one who always stares at your butt? Brett, that's him; he must have a good day's work staring at your butt all day!"

"Carl!" Rick reprimanded, the smile dropping from his face. "Knock it off!"

"What?" Exclaimed the boy. "It's true! He stares at her butt all the time! God! It's okay for you guys to tease me, as soon as I say something it's like I killed someone!"

"Just stop talkin' about Michonne's ass, Carl. It's not nice!" Said Rick, a serious look on his face.

"I'm not talking about her ass, dad! I'm talking about Brett staring at her ass! God I can't say anything!"

"Watch your mouth, Carl!"

"Rick," Michonne interjected "It's fine, really, it is. Besides, no one stares at my ass, at least I don't think they do."

"He does though!" Carl interrupted again, looking annoyed that no one believed him and that he was in trouble from his dad for even bringing it up.

"Okay, okay. Maybe he does, but how about let's not talk about my ass anymore?" She said, hoping to calm down the situation before Rick took his frustrations about the young man gawking at her out on his son. She stood and squeezed Carl's shoulder in a loving manner, as a way to silently apologize to him for his father being short with him. She went over to where Rick was seated, with Judith playing in front of him and flopped down beside him.

"Anyways," she began. "I'd much rather talk about your butt, Rick."

At that, Michonne leaned in and gave Rick a quick kiss to his lips and let her head rest on his shoulder. A smile returned to Rick's face. Carl rolled his eyes at the two of them.

"Eww, do you have to make out in public all the time? God, old people are so gross! I have to go, see you later."

All Rick and Michonne could do was chuckle as they watched Carl stomp off in the direction of the garden.

"I guess I should get goin' too." She said, her head still on his shoulder as his arm lay possessively across her lap. "Brett's gonna start wondering where I am."

"Let the little shit wonder." Rick snorted with derision, wanting very much to have a small conversation with this Brett.

Just then, two large, armed and serious looking men briskly walked by an oblivious Carl to where Rick and Michonne were sitting in the shade of the tree.

"Grimes." One of them said, in a stern standoffish manner. "The Council members want to see you, right now."

Michonne sat up straight and asked "What's this about?"

"Don't you worry 'bout that, sweetheart." The other man jeered, and placed a hand to his side arm.

Rick stood up as Michonne, grabbing Judith, followed his actions.

"Don't make a scene now, Grimes. Just come with us, ain't nothin' gonna happen if you just come with us."

Michonne's eyes widened as she looked nervously at Rick. His expression stayed neutral, his chest heaving as his breathing quickened, and anger rose from within. He contained it well, he could not afford to let his rage put Judith and Michonne in any immediate danger. He kissed Judith's head and looked Michonne directly in the eyes.

"Hey, it's okay. I'm gonna go with 'em."

She shook her head and grabbed his arm, dread evident in her expression. She looked sad and worried, and that hurt him.

"Please," he whispered. "Don't follow us, stay here and watch after the kids, I'll go and see what they want. It's okay. I'll be fine."

With that Rick kissed Michonne desperately as the two men grabbed him forcefully and dragged him away.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: thanks for the reviews, they always make me smile!

I was thinking about how Rick is a fierce protector and does not want to let others walk all over him and his group. When it came to people he cares about actually facing immediate danger, he willingly went with the seemingly ruthless subordinates of the Council Members. I don't want this to seem like an act of weakness on his part; I feel he exhibited great strength to contain his rage and not lash out and make matters worse; he had to think about his children and Michonne.

In saying that, how far would he go to protect those he loves?

Let's check-in with our favourite survivors…

Daryl Dixon hurriedly rushed down the steps of the administration building; his breath short and his stomach in knots.

_Where the fuck is she?_ He thought as he glanced around the yard, squinting his eyes from the harsh sun. Michonne was still seated under the tree by the picnic tables, where Rick had pleaded with her to remain. Daryl approached hastily and Michonne stood, feeling a wave of nausea overcome her as she took in her friend's expression; worried, stricken, panicked and angry were all words that came to mind.

"What's going on?" She asked, frantically. "Have you seen Rick?"

"Yeah I seen him, when those pricks dragged him up the stairs. What the fuck, Michonne? Why are you sittin' here on your ass in the shade while they're fuckin' haulin' Rick in to see the Council? Why didn't you try to stop 'em? Christ!" He yelled, exasperated and annoyed with his hands on his hips.

Michonne was taken aback by Daryl's direct insinuation that she did not want to take on the men that had accosted Rick just moments earlier. She felt somewhat blighted by her friend's apparent lack of faith in her strength of character. Her devastation quickly gave way to indignation as she stepped towards Daryl and shoved him hard in the chest with both hands, causing him to stumble backwards. His eyes widened at her antagonistic actions.

"Screw you, Daryl!" She spat, as she shoved him once again, even harder than before. "What the fuck do you think I'm doing here, uh? Fanning myself in the shade and sippin' on cocktails? Fuck you, Daryl Dixon! Get the fuck outta my face!"

She yelled as she moved to gather Judith up, who was now crying, obviously picking up on the foul mood of the adults. Michonne rocked the baby as she paced back and forth, trying to calm the child down as well as herself. She felt tears of frustration welling in her eyes. Did he honestly think she did not want to help Rick? What else did he think of her? That this was all her fault? That Rick would be hurt because of her? She flopped to the ground and held Judith close to her body as the tears spilled from her, and she silently wept while rocking the baby.

Daryl was utterly astounded; he had not meant to upset Michonne, he was just venting his own anger at the situation. He stood watching her fighting back the rush of emotions, unsure of what to say. Rick had been dragged up into the administration building as Daryl was leaving it. He went to approach the men who were forcefully pushing his friend forward, until the smaller one drew his weapon and aimed it at Daryl. All Rick could say was "find Michonne!" before the three men disappeared behind the door and Daryl heard it lock.

Presently, Daryl leaned down on one knee and rubbed his eyes, glancing at Michonne. He inhaled deeply before he went to address her; this time, much more politely.

"Hey, 'Chonne?" he asked quietly. "I'm sorry for gettin' in your face. It's just that, I don't know what happened. All Rick said was to find you. Shit. I'm sorry for bein' an asshole. We okay?"

Michonne wiped her eyes and looked at Daryl, still evidently upset.

"How could you think I didn't wanna help him? After everything we've been through? You probably think this is my fault too!" She said, her voice cracking slightly.

Daryl shook his head and went to speak, but she cut him off.

"Rick told me not to follow. He said he would deal with it. Asked me to stay with the kids. Shit! Where's Carl?" She looked around, still shaken. Hoping to catch glimpse of the teenager and at the same time dreading how she was going to explain all of this to him, to the rest of their group.

"Carl will be okay, might be best to leave him workin' away for now, until we know what's goin' on with Rick. 'Chonne, focus; what did they want him for?"

"I don't know." Was her reply as she tried to gain composure over her wondering thoughts. "They didn't say anything except that the Council wanted to see him. I can only assume it's to do with the supply run. Today they had a Security Meeting, yeah? Well what if they think Rick's a threat to security 'cause he drew on those boys?"

Daryl nodded, that was the only explanation that he could think of as well. Judith had stopped crying and reached for Daryl, he took her in his arms and looked at Michonne, who appeared completely deflated. He was almost certain that the worried countenance that she wore matched his own. They knew exactly what happened to people who threatened the security of the Settlement.

"Rick told me to he'd go and see what they wanted. He didn't want me to go after them. Said he would take care of it. I had Judy with me, I couldn't do anything, not really. Rick was so pissed Daryl, but he didn't lose his shit, he went along with them. I wanted to do something, I really did. But it wouldn't have helped. I guess we're just gonna have to wait." She offered, using both hands to clean her tearstained face and then wiped them on her jeans.

"I'm not blamin' you. I really didn't mean for it to sound like I was blamin' you. You did the right thing. And you're right, we're just gon' have to wait." Was Daryl's reply as he placed his hand over Michonne's in a comforting and apologetic manner.

Rick sat on a chair in the middle of the room, facing John, Melanie and the other members of the Council. The larger one of the men that had brought him to the room took Rick's side arm and walked back out of the door, leaving him feeling exposed with just the leaders of the Settlement, who looked at him in a perturbed manner. They had not been face-to-face with Rick Grimes for some time now; and this meeting was not to be as amiable as their last one, when Rick was seeking duties to be allocated to his group. This time they would have to pass some form of judgement on him.

"I think you know why you were brought here, Rick." Said one of the members whose name he did not recall. Rick did not offer a reply, he just looked from one member to another.

"Is it true that you assaulted young Thom and drew your weapon on the other men whom you accompanied on the medical supply run?" Asked Melanie.

Rick nodded in confirmation.

"And did you threaten to kill them back at the camp, while they slept, no less, if they told of your actions?"

Rick's eyes narrowed at hearing this falsehood. He shook his head and sat up straighter in the seat.

"No, I never said that." He stated, slow and evenly.

"Well, do you care to elaborate, Mr Grimes?" Someone else asked, to the sound of approving grunts and other noises from the others.

Rick sighed, and reluctantly told his version of the events beginning with the argument and ending with the silent trip back to the camp. He did not leave anything out; he told of how he was defending the honour of the women in his group; how he was defending _his_ woman. He explained that he drew his weapon as a protective measure when the others had planned to make the fight unbalanced.

"Are you a violent man, Mr Grimes?" Asked John, father to the alleged victim of Rick's volatile rage, and leader of the Settlement. He studied Rick's face carefully, his own eyes seemed cold and uncompromising, like he had the weight of many a decision present in them.

Rick considered the question a moment, slightly unsure of how to answer. He knew full well that he was capable of violence, of extreme violence; but who wasn't in this day and age? He decided that he would answer truthfully, being a man of integrity in a world of liars.

"I ain't gonna lie to you. If you ask me if I'm a violent man, I'd have to say yes sir, I've had to be. I'm sure we've all had to be violent at some point, as a way to survive. I admit, what happened on that last run started off as me not likin' their tone, and them not likin' being told about it; that was just some kind of pissin' contest between us that got out of hand. They said some stuff, I said some things; punches were thrown then it got serious because _I _feared for my safety. I can handle a fair fight, ain't no worries about that, but when you got four men against one, well sir, that ain't fair at all. I was just tryin' to protect myself so I could get back here to my family, get back to raisin' my kids. And I have to point out that I _did not_ threaten to hurt those boys in their sleep."

Rick looked each Council Member in the eyes as he spoke in earnest.

"Do you know what happens to people who threaten the safety of our Settlement and the safety of its inhabitants, Rick?" Asked Melanie, her expression was stern and unmoving.

He nodded. _Banishment._

Upon his group's arrival, the rules had been explained very clearly. Rick and his group had also witnessed the banishment of a man who was found guilty of beating his girlfriend unconscious. It was pretty much the same outcome for everyone who displayed and acted on their violent temperament. You were given 24 hours (under guard) to collect what supplies you could carry, and were driven away from the camp blindfolded and then released on your own; to return was on pain of death. For the Settlement, this seemed a fair and humane way to deal with violent individuals. The world was already terrifying enough to live in, the leaders of the Settlement wanted it to be a true sanctuary for those who were willing to abide by the rules.

Rick cleared his throat and began to speak again.

"I understand that you will do what you gotta do, for the greater good. Before you pass judgement on me, I have one thing to ask."

The Council Members looked at Rick as if to say, continue, we are listening.

"My children, my people, please watch after them. If you banish me, I know they'll want to follow. It's too dangerous for my family, for my baby, to be out on the road. I nearly lost them before, I can't let it happen again, not on my account. They're better off here, where they have a chance at a life. I can't give them that on the outside. I have to do whatever I can to protect them, even if it means I.." Rick became choked up, he swallowed the lump in his throat and continued, "Even if it means I have to leave. I'll do whatever it takes to protect them."

Rick looked to the floor and wiped the back of his hand over his mouth as he let the gravity of the situation and his decision sink in.


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I do not own the Walking Dead

A/N: Thanks for the reviews; keep them coming, I get so much inspiration from them.

I just wanted to address something, for the most part, readers have appreciated where I have taken the direction of this story, but I've had some questions regarding Rick's choice to have his group remain at the Settlement if he were asked to leave. I gave it a lot of thought when I determined that Rick would decide to place his family's safety and security above his own need to have them near him. He would have their best interests in mind. Please remember he is a complex character and nothing ever comes easily for him.

Also, I don't realise how much I miss Richonne when they are not together in scenes; I seriously have to write more scenes between them (if Rick sticks around), but alas, our gallant hero may soon be banished from the realm *insert fretful facial expression here*

* * *

The afternoon was uncommonly quiet and unnervingly calm, although the summer sun was still relentless. The younger Grimes sat silently with the others from their group as they waited to find out the decision regarding his father's fate. He felt tired and afraid as he watched his small sister playing in front of him; completely oblivious to how dire their current situation was. Rick Grimes was in trouble, serious trouble, for not following the stringent rules of the Settlement, and now his group sat wondering what their next move would be. Michonne was next to Carl in the shade, just as silent as he was. She still appeared to be nauseated and did not lift her eyes for fear of vomiting once more as Sasha handed her a bottle of water. She gave soft thanks and rinsed her mouth before letting the water settle her stomach. The heat of the afternoon sun only exacerbated the feelings of uncertainty and fear. Michonne had literally worried herself sick.

Glenn was adamant that someone should go and find out what was happening, so they had sent Daryl who had returned to the group directly after visiting Rick with the approval of the Council. He approached slowly; Glenn and Ty stood to greet him, wearing concerned expressions. Carl, upon noticing Daryl's arrival, lifted his head and gaze; Michonne did not.

"He's okay." said Daryl, looking at the teenager and the woman. "They let me see him."

Michonne felt a breath, that she was unaware she had been holding, escape from her lungs.

"The Council is makin' a decision, they've got him in the detainment area while they talk. He said I had to fill everyone in, but would talk to you in person. Michonne?"

She shifted and forced herself to glance to her friend, her head still spinning slightly.

"He wants you to take the kids to see him."

Michonne, Carl and Judith approached the gymnasium area where, inside the sports equipment storeroom, those who were awaiting a Council decision were retained in holding. The caged area where equipment used to be kept worked well as a detainment cage. It was comfortable and secure.

Two armed men guarded the outside door. As Michonne and Carl came closer to them, one signalled for them to stop while he patted them down. Persuaded they were not carrying weapons, he asked them to wait until he unlocked the door and released Rick from the caged area. Carl rushed towards his father and met him in a tight hug as Rick placed a kiss to the top of his son's head.

"You okay, Dad? They didn't hurt you?" The teenager asked, clearly concerned for his father's welfare.

Rick smiled. "I'm fine, buddy. Just waitin' to see what they say."

Michonne, avoiding his gaze, handed Judith to Rick and he held the baby close, peppering her face with soft kisses and she tugged at his beard and giggled. His eyes softened as he tenderly, yet sadly looked at his daughter. He realized he had already resigned himself to surrender his family, in an attempt to protect them, but all in all, it still hurt.

Michonne watched them as she felt tears welling in her eyes, yet again. Watching Rick with his children touched her heart in ways too complex to explain. Rick noticed her and the sad expression on her face; he sighed loudly, handed Judith to Carl, held his hand out to Michonne and quietly and gently said, "Come here."

She took his hand as he drew her near and enveloped her in his arms. The weight fell away from them both as they each listened to the other breathe softly, not uttering a single a word. There was nothing they could say to one another, they both knew the relief and comfort that they sensed when they were together. Rick could feel her trembling slightly, she felt vulnerable in his arms and he had become accustomed to her letting her guard down with him. He felt happy she was comfortable with him, that she trusted him. He could only hope she still trusted his judgement after he shared with her what he had told the Council.

"It'll be okay. I don't want either of you worrying too much." He said as they went to sit down on a few dusty chairs.

"What did they say?" Michonne asked, getting straight to the point.

"They didn't say much, just asked for my side of the story. I told 'em everything. Those assholes actually tried to say I threatened to kill 'em in their sleep, can you believe that? Anyway, I was straight with 'em." Rick offered honestly, but she could tell there was something else on his mind.

Michonne's eyes narrowed as she asked, "What aren't you telling me, Rick?"

Rick rubbed his eyes as he considered how he would admit to Carl and Michonne that he wanted them to stay behind, if he was sent away. He knew they would not accept it, that they would want to follow him; but he had to, at the very least, attempt to get them to understand his reasoning. He took a deep breath and said exactly what he had decided.

"If they banish me, you all have to stay. No buts and ifs, you have to stay. I can't put y'all in danger; it's safer here than it is out on the road. Please, this is hard enough for me as it is. Promise me, if they send me away, you don't follow."

* * *

"The rules were clearly broken, Melanie. Grimes acted in a violent manner towards people in our camp. He should be dealt with the same way we've handled other situations. I don't see what your point is here." Chided one of the other members named Gary.

"What I'm sayin' is it happened while they were out on a run. From what he's said, he wanted to leave it outside. The fact remains that he didn't assault Thom inside the Settlement. Ya know what, I'm not even sure it was assault..." retorted Melanie, trying to see the reasons behind Rick's actions.

"Are you shittin' me?"

"No. No, let me finish now. I see it as they got into a scuffle, and Grimes drew to even the odds."

"She's right." Offered another. "Any one of us could've punched on with someone and done the exact same thing."

"He still threatened to kill Thom when he drew his gun on him. That's the actions of a violent man. We all know he spent a long time out in the world. A lot of it was spent alone. He's dangerous and unstable. His son seems to be just like him. All guns blazin' too. I just knew it would be a matter of time before we were sittin' here decidin' whether or not to banish him. He's trouble." Said Gary as he added, "His group could be trouble too."

"Now hold on. We can't blame the rest of 'em for his actions. His wife and kids don't deserve to be thrown out into that shit storm..."

"Are you serious? His kid has better aim than half of us. Did you see his wife this mornin' cutting down walkers like she was prunin' the fucking roses? They can sure as hell take care of themselves."

"Gary, that ain't the point though!" Said someone.

"What should we do then?" he asked in a sarcastic manner. "You said we had to weigh everything up, look at his family too. What should we do? Let them stay after we kick him out? Wake up dead one day 'cause that boy of his filled us full of holes? Or give his wife the chance to skewer us with that sword?"

"When I said consider his family, I meant we have a responsibility to them as well. We can't just split them up because he punched John's son in the face!"

"Don't trivialize it! They'd want to go with him anyway!"

The argument was becoming heated as the tension in the room rose to new heights.

"What about the baby?" Asked Sara, the youngest of the Council and also the quietest.

"What about her?" Gary asked indignantly. "He already asked for the kid to be allowed to stay, so she can stay. His wife and son will most likely wanna follow, I say let 'em go, let the baby stay with someone else from his group like he already wanted. Problem solved. They go, his daughter stays. Too easy."

Sara rolled her eyes as she stated, in a matter-of-fact manner: "No, not his daughter. The other baby, the one on the way? The one his wife is carrying?"


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I do not own the Walking Dead

A/N: All of you dear readers are amazing! Thank you so much for the support and encouragement. I always enjoy reading reviews and messages; they inspire me, make me laugh and smile. **Internet high fives all around!**

Some responses:

lacsim1978: the word 'preggo' never gets old for me; made me LOL

lanie-love09: He really can't keep it in his pants (I ain't mad at him lol); my friends and I joke that on the show, Rick owns half of the kids left in the world – therefore he has Super-Spunk (semen) not sure what you call spunk in the US lol and I can't believe I'm talking about it (my mother must be so proud!).

castlefan83 & Amrcncpprhd: _Ding ding ding! _10 points each for pointing out that the people in the Settlement, may not be the best of people themselves.

literaturechick: Glad you're excited! Everything you've said about Rick and the group is true; they're all very much 'all or nothing' and definitely stick together. We'll find out who Sara is soon…

anivas14: Glad you noticed the whole referring to Michonne as Rick's 'wife'; I thought that it would show that their connection is obvious, even to 'outsiders'. I have to agree, they are more valuable being part of the Settlement than not (I don't know what TV show they were watching but if Rick Grimes shows up on your doorstep, you let him stay lol).

CindyTheSlayer & Guest: Thanks for taking the time to review.

Whoa, okay. I'm just as excited as everyone else, so let's get to it.

_5 weeks ago_

Michonne, looking like a woman on a mission, walked hastily across the grounds of the Settlement toward the rations store. The days had begun to grow warm, so the manner in which she closed her light jacket over the front of her torso and folded her arms was more an act of self-comfort than practicality. She was not feeling well and she was fairly certain she knew the reasons why; she had felt very much the same at the beginning of her pregnancy with André. Nauseated by different smells; slightly heavy in her lower regions, but late with her period; emotional and lightheaded. She was disappointed in herself; how could she let this happen, and so soon? She had only started being intimate with Rick in the past few months and was already having second thoughts about continuing her relationship with him. She was not entirely sure of what her relationship with Rick actually was; and now this. _This_ would surely complicate things further. Their desire for one another had led them to behave irresponsibly, and now she felt…worried, excited, joyous, guilty, disappointed, scared, happy and sad; all at once.

Rick Grimes was a decent man; a strong man, a protector, a leader. _She cared for him, she…_she shook that admission from her mind. Michonne was still uncertain about what they were doing; she had felt the shift in their relationship. She had noticed that Rick was behaving differently with her. He was being gentler with her and wanted to hold her after they had sex. The frequency with which they had been intimate had also increased. She knew he had developed deeper feelings for her, she could see it in his eyes. The way his gaze would follow her and how it softened when he spoke to her; she knew it because she felt the same. She just did not know how to deal with her feelings. _And now this. _If she ended things with Rick, then what? Would she have to try to avoid him, to basically ignore him? The Settlement was small, there were not many places one could hide from someone who sought them out; and she knew Rick would always seek her out. Even more so if he knew his child was growing inside of her. Even if she did not tell him right away, he would eventually notice for it was not something that one could easily hide. She almost laughed when she thought of how joint custody was a thing of the past. _Wait! Am I really going through with this? _She asked herself, already knowing the answer. Regardless of what happened between Michonne and Rick, she knew she would keep the baby. Rick and his children were gifts to her, this baby would be the same; a precious gift in a horrible world.

Michonne used her key to gain entry to the rations store, Brett stood, smiled and greeted her warmly. He was a nice young man, always eager to help, extremely friendly and no trouble. She had caught him staring down the front of her top several times, but she hadn't said anything. She smiled to herself when she thought of how Rick would always be short-tempered to the young man when he came by the rations store. He always snapped at him, and made Brett feel uncomfortable. She could only guess that Rick had caught him staring as well.

"Your husband came by here earlier." Called Sara from the back of the rations store. Michonne did not correct her, it was a common mistake that many of the residents at the Settlement made; she knew the young woman was talking about Rick because he usually came by looking for her. Most of the residents meant Rick when they mistakenly referred to Michonne's 'husband'; she had grown tired of repeating "he's not my husband" because they just went on to say, "Oh, sorry, your boyfriend." Rick thought it was amusing and did not correct anyone at all for the slip up. Michonne thought Rick might actually enjoy the insinuation that _she_ was _his_.

"What did he want?" asked Michonne as she sat on a stool at one of the tables.

"Well, if I didn't know any better, I'd say he just wanted to be rude to Brett." She began, as they both threw Brett a sympathetic look. "Nah, he was just lookin' for you."

Michonne nodded and said, "I'll see him later I guess."

Just then, it occurred to her that she could take advantage of the whole situation. "Actually, Brett, I hate to ask but would you go find Rick for me, please?"

She wanted some time alone with Sara, but could think of no other excuse. Brett looked like he had just swallowed an insect upon hearing her request, he did not really want to go and seek out Rick Grimes. The man was always unpleasant to him, but he did want to help Michonne.

"Do I have to?" He asked, his face all screwed up. "He's always such a jerk to me."

Michonne batted her eyelids and mouthed the words _pretty please._

Brett rolled his eyes, "Fine, fine. I'll do it for you, but he's gonna have to start bein' nicer to me, Michonne. I don't know what I've done to offend him."

"Thank you." Michonne offered warmly. "I'll be sure to talk to him about being an asshole."

With that, the young man nodded and left the two women alone in the small room.

"That was mean, Mich." Said Sara. "Rick doesn't like Brett at all, and he don't hide it very well."

Michonne sighed and told Sara she knew it was terrible of her to ask, but she needed to speak privately. Sara handled the medical and hygiene supplies and was in charge of distributing said rations. She was a kind, quiet spoken young woman; a trainee nurse in another life, junior representative on the Council and trustworthy. She and Michonne formed a quick and easy friendship since Michonne had begun her duties in the rations store. She knew she would be able to ask Sara this favour, without it getting back to Rick or anyone else for that matter. Michonne also knew that if she were indeed pregnant, Sara would be the person she needed to see for her antenatal medicine.

"Sara, I need to ask for something, but please, I need you to keep it between us."

The young woman nodded and said, "Of course."

* * *

Rick returned to the rations store, walking slightly faster than Brett, a stern look on his face.

"Hey, everything okay?" He asked Michonne, his brow furrowed and his thumbs hooked into his belt.

"Yeah everything's fine, I'm fine. You wanted to see me?" She asked, as she approached him and noticed his expression softened.

"I always wanna see you." He whispered as she rolled her eyes.

"Knock it off." She warned quietly, in a stern manner that was just not that believable and good-naturedly shoved his chest.

"Also," she added, much louder, "Stop givin' Brett a hard time would you? He told me how you treat him. You don't always have to be such an asshole to him, Rick."

Rick looked at Michonne with a faux-annoyed look on his face, and then turned to Brett who looked even more uncomfortable than before.

"Did you call me an asshole, boy?" He asked, genuinely annoyed now at the young man's absurd expression.

"Jesus, Rick. Leave him alone." Michonne chastised, as she walked behind him, hooked the tips of her fingers into his belt and pushed him through the door. He did not resist Michonne's playfulness and let her shuffle him outside. As they walked Rick felt the strong urge to wrap a possessive arm around her waist. He thought better of it as they moved toward the fence, he did not notice the newly acquired pregnancy test shoved in the side pocket of her jeans.

* * *

_Present Day_

Rick sat in the same chair that he was seated in earlier that day. He stared at the floor a moment, gathering his thoughts, before looking directly at the Council members. He could not gauge their expressions and waited quietly to hear what they had decided.

John began to speak.

"I'm lettin' you know that I was not involved in the deliberations that took place this afternoon, because of the obvious conflict of interest. I'm here now to deliver the judgment to you. After listenin' to both sides of the story, and taking into consideration the seriousness of the accusation, as well as what is fair for you and your family, the Council have reached a decision."

Rick sat up straighter in his seat and nodded slowly to John.

"We have taken into account that you have a family to look after." The older man continued.

"And with that the Council have decided that your actions, while out on that run, were in self-defence and did not pose an immediate threat to the security of this camp. While we don't condone this behaviour, it would be unjust to banish you when you have two children and a pregnant wife to care for. It would be uncivilised of us to place ah..." he looked to Melanie who quickly and quietly provided the name he was searching for.

"Yes, to place Michonne, your boy, your baby and your unborn child at risk if you weren't around to provide for them, or if they followed you. So, with that, you are allowed to stay in the Settlement under a three month probationary period whereby we retain your weapon and you are banned from goin' on any runs until the time is up. Is that clear? Do you have any questions?"

Rick looked confused, the Council members thought, as he stared at them in shock and disbelief, not saying anything.

"Grimes? Do you hear me? You're free to go." John stated.

"Sorry, yes sir. Thank you. Thank you all for givin' me this chance. I, ah...I really do appreciate it."

Rick stammered as he stood and turned to the door slowly, glancing back and offering a final nod to the Council members. As Rick exited the administration building, he could barely focus on what had just happened all he could think of was what John had said to him. Michonne was pregnant. _His _Michonne was pregnant? She was carrying his child? His head spun as he tried to make sense of what had just occurred.

He was shaken from his thoughts and brought back to reality as his group rushed toward him asking what had happened. He informed them he was to remain in the camp and accepted the hugs and handshakes, the smiles and relieved laughter. All the while his eyes found their way back to Michonne, who stood back while the others crowded around him. _Why didn't she say anything?_ He questioned. _How do they all know, those Council members, when I didn't?_ He was confused and unsure of how this revelation made him feel.

The others returned happily to their duties, while Carol saw to Judith, and Carl, Daryl and Michonne followed Rick back to their living area. He explained the terms of him being allowed to stay and said he would comply. He turned to the man who was like his brother and said:

"Hey, I have a three pack of AAA batteries in the tent to the left, right near the opening. Take Carl up to the rations store and see if you can trade 'em for some candy bars."

Daryl nodded. "Okay, man. You need anything?"

Rick shook his head and then watched Carl and Daryl walk away. He slowly closed the distance between himself and Michonne, pinched the bridge of his nose, exhaled deeply and said to her in an even tone.

"Hey, we need to talk."


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Thanks for all of the reviews. Keep them coming, I always try to respond. A special shout out to Alex311; I am truly sorry for your loss at this time. I'm glad my stories bring you some kind of comfort, and hope this chapter does as well.

Also, sorry if my updating has slowed down; I've been sick and work has been crazy. Other than that, it's Book Week and I'm so very, very happy!

Responses:

lanie-love09: Repopulate the earth one Michonne at a time? Love it! You make me laugh so much!

literaturechick: Thank you. I think Rick's mannerisms are very specific and recognisable, so I'm glad that I've done him some justice.

anivas14: Dear oh dear, you are right, Thom will not be happy about this!

Missy96: Thank you! And Beth is out there somewhere, my advice to you is: all good things to those who wait! I don't want to give too much away right now, but no one has forgotten her. Watch this space…

Alright, let's check in on a couple of conversations.

* * *

"Did you know my Dad wanted us to stay here if they kicked him out?"

Carl asked Daryl as he shoved stale gumballs into his mouth, one after the other.

"Yeah." Replied Daryl. "He told me. I woulda tracked him though, we'd just have to find another place then come back and get y'all. We gotta stick together."

Daryl became silent and contemplative a moment before continuing.

"You know he'd never ask us to leave with him. He knows this is a good, safe place. He was thinkin' of you and Lil' Asskicker."

Carl nodded and handed Daryl another gumball.

"Michonne was so pissed afterwards. She played it cool when Dad told us, but later, she was pissed. I never heard her say the f-word so many times before. You should've seen her! I better save some candy for her!" He said as they both laughed.

It got quiet again.

"Hey Daryl?" The teenager asked.

"My Dad and Michonne, what d'ya think about 'em? Ya know, being together?"

Daryl looked at Carl and offered a small grin.

"They tried to hide it, but I kinda figured for a while now, so I ain't surprised. All ya gotta do is spend five minutes with 'em and ya know. Michonne thinks she's so hard to read, she don't realize everyone sees how different she is with Rick." They chuckled again, thinking of Michonne failed attempts at being inconspicuous.

"I reckon they make each other happy. They're the same, ain't they?" Daryl chuckled, and then went on.

"Both stubborn as shit. Tough as nails. Makes sense to me that they'd get together. Though, ya gotta admit she's too good lookin' for Rick. That fuckin' beard of his! I'm amazed 'Chonne ain't shaved it off him while he's sleep!"

At this Carl and Daryl laughed uproariously; Carl wiping tears from his eyes and spitting out flavourless pieces of gum.

"What d'you think?" Daryl asked, intrigued by what the boy would say. Carl stared off into the distance as he contemplated his father and Michonne's relationship.

"It's okay with me. They're happy. After everything they've been through, I think they deserve to be happy." Said Carl, and Daryl was surprised at how mature the teenager sounded.

"And she'll keep my Dad in line. She'll kick his ass!"

"No shit." Replied Daryl as he chewed the gum vigorously.

"But if my Dad screws this up, if he hurts her, I'll kick his ass myself." The boy said, in a serious tone as both he and Daryl nodded.

* * *

A gentle cool breeze had manifested to combat the heat of the late afternoon. It felt like sweet relief as it caressed Michonne's skin and, aided by the light sheen of sweat, cooled her and made it bearable to be in the sun. She and Rick walked to a shaded area that had a table and benches; Rick stood and Michonne sat down. He placed his left hand on his hip and used the back of his right hand to wipe his mouth.

"I lied to you." Michonne said, breaking the silence.

Rick tilted his head and gazed at her questioningly, not quite sure what she was talking about. She looked to the ground, rubbed her hands together then met his eyes once more.

"Before, when you told me and Carl to let you go. To stay here and be safe, and let you go. I lied when I said I'd stay. I only said it to ease your mind, make it easier for you to go back and face the Council. Truth is, I'd be out that gate after you the first chance I got, we'd find somewhere else. We'd all be together."

Rick nodded in agreement, knowing deep down inside of him that she would. Knowing that he would be hurt if she did not come for him.

"I'm sorry for lyin' to your face, but you must know I'd never let you leave us. I'd never let you be on your own. Seriously, check my tent, I've got a go-bag already packed." She smiled as he let out a light chuckle.

Rick stared at Michonne and felt his chest swell with adoration for her, his woman. He knew she would try to find him if he were banished, she always found her way to him.

"I thought as much." Was his happy reply.

"I mean, I understand why you decided for it to be that way, I respect you for it. This is a good place, this is a really good place, but our place is with you." She said in earnest, and then quietly:

"Rick, my place is with you."

At her last remark, Rick smiled widely, glad that she finally realized and admitted what he had known all along; that they belonged together.

Rick moved towards Michonne, squatted down in front of her and took both of her hands in his own, staring into her dark brown eyes.

"I'm glad you finally see it." He offered, almost in a whisper. He then lifted her left hand to his lips, kissed it softly and then used his thumb to gently rub it. She smiled down at him, always amazed at how tender he could be. Most people got to see one side of Rick Grimes; strong, fierce and unyielding. Michonne was ever thankful that she got to see more of him than others did. The soft and loving man who held her hand and helped to wipe her tears away.

"Sorry," she began. "You wanted to talk and here I am not lettin' you get a word in."

Rick laughed as he stood from his squatting position and took up a seat next to Michonne; she turned her body so that she could face him and noted that his expression had changed.

"Is everything okay?" She asked, concerned by the shift of the mood.

Rick nodded, smiled weakly and thought about how he was going to broach the issue with her. Despite the recent drama that had unfolded, he and Michonne had made so much progress with their relationship over the past couple of days. Rick did not want to say anything to jeopardize that. To upset her or push her away.

"Ya know what? It was 'cause of you, Carl and Judy that they didn't kick me out." He said.

"I understand letting you stay because of the kids, but me?" She asked, a little surprised that she would even be brought into the decision.

"They know that we're together, and for some reason, I dunno, and maybe you could help me figure out that reason, they think you're pregnant."

Michonne's face dropped as she sat in silence a moment. Rick studied her expression before saying her name.

"Michonne? Hey, is it true? Are you pregnant?" Rick asked, his eyes locked onto the woman sitting next to him. She stared straight ahead, then suddenly stood and took a few slow steps away from Rick. He immediately jumped to his feet and followed her; by the time Michonne turned to face him, he was standing right before her. She crossed her arms over her chest in a guarded manner and avoided his gaze.

"Michonne?" He asked quietly and gently.

Finally, her eyes met his.

She nodded to confirm what he was already sure of, Michonne was carrying his baby.

Rick drew her into a hug as he kissed her forehead. They stood embracing in silence for a short while before letting go of one another. Rick asked more questions.

"How far along? Why didn't you tell me? How does the Council know?"

"I think it's been about ten weeks and the only person who knows is Sara. She must've told 'em." Michonne replied, wearing an unreadable visage.

"Michonne, why didn't you tell me?" Rick asked, sounding more hurt than he had intended to.

She shrugged slightly.

"I don't know." She answered honestly. "I just didn't know how to say it. I was worried about what you'd say. I didn't even know what we were doing. I've been confused. I didn't want you to worry. I just didn't know, I had to get my mind right."

"Were you ever gonna tell me?" He asked, tilting his head to the left a little.

"Eventually." She started. "I wasn't sure that you'd even wanna hear it..."

Rick cut her off.

"Why wouldn't I wanna hear it? Did you think I'd let you go through this on your own?" He asked, now truly hurt by her assumption.

"No." Was her reply. "But I haven't been thinking properly anyways. There's just so much goin' on. I was afraid to open up to you. I wasn't sure what we were doin', Rick. I'm keeping it and I wasn't sure you'd want to be with me if you kn..."

"Of course I'd wanna be with you, Michonne!" Rick interjected, holding her gaze and placing both hands at her waist as he stepped a little closer.

"All I ever wanted was to be with you. I love you."

He said, like it was the most obvious and natural thing in the world.

Rick placed another soft kiss to her brow, and let his own forehead rest against hers as they both closed their eyes. He was afraid; he was worried that what had happened when Judith was born would happen again...He forced the thought from his mind and focussed on what was happening in that instance. Michonne needed him to be strong, their baby needed him to be strong.

"We can make this work." He finally said, quietly and confidently.

"I'll look after you, the both of you. I'll do whatever I can to protect you and our baby. You have my word."

Rick pressed a chaste kiss to Michonne's lips and used his thumb to wipe the tear that had run down her cheek.

"I know." She said quietly, staring into his eyes.

"That's why I love you."


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: Thanks for the reviews everybody! You are all so amazing. I want to respond to everyone because I appreciate the time taken to actually give me feedback, and if something you say inspires me, I will let you know because to me, that's what it's about; sharing.

A few things happen in this chapter that, although they seem small, indicate how far their relationship has come.

Responses:

Missy96: thanks for your support and sorry for making your eyes sweat lol

Alex311: thanks, as always, for your kind words; I am feeling much better and will do some serious writing and updating this weekend.

literaturechick: when I proofread the last chapter, I had to smile at Daryl and Carl's little chat. I honestly don't know where these ideas come from sometimes, but conversations with Carl and Daryl just flow naturally for me. Also, I'm glad I was able to convey how far Michonne has come emotionally. For eff sake, I just want 'em to be happy! Lol Oh and yeah, the baby would be such a badass!

KyannaLashae: thank you. I was aiming to get them as close to their TV counterparts as possible; it's important to get their mannerisms right I think.

Daniele: cheers, I'm glad you liked it!

Blueberrysuite7: wow, thanks. That's cool you can re-read the story. Feedback like this encourages me to continue writing; knowing people are enjoying my story and are invested in knowing what happens next.

MissChocolateoxo: Thank you, what a very flattering review. I feel Rick is very complex and wanted to show these two sides of his personality. I'm glad you could see why Michonne was initially hesitant with the relationship; like Rick, things don't come easily for her as well. I really just want 'em to be happy. Bloody hell, it's not too much to ask for, is it? LOL

Kammy: you're welcome, and thanks for reading. I'm a fan of them too, so I know how sucky it is that there aren't more Richonne fics floating around. Guess I'm just doing my part to share the love hehe

Amrcncpprhd: you know I gotta get the feels going, always lol thank you!

Trinideanfan: exactly! Way too few Richonne fics. There are so many talented writers who have written amazing fics for our dear Richonne; many of whom have left reviews for this story, please check them out also. You won't be disappointed!

Cosmickym925: your review made me laugh so much! Thanks. Lol

: as always, your reviews made me smile! Thank you. It brings me great happiness to know my little story can make you act like a goofy, crazy lady! Hehe

Okay, back to it.

* * *

The night sky was clear and speckled with stars; a soft breeze offered a level of comfort to the residents of the Settlement, considering the evening was still quite warm. Rick paced back and forth holding Judith and rocking the drowsy child in an effort to get her to give in and finally sleep. It had been an emotionally draining day for everyone while Rick's fate was being decided by the Council. The group members, now relieved that their leader was safe, were seated at the picnic tables and on the ground talking after they had shared their evening meal together; kerosene lanterns illuminating the area and their smiling faces. Rick absentmindedly listened to their conversations and light laughter as he strolled slowly and hushed a heavy-eyed Judith to sleep. He looked to where his son was seated speaking with Tara and Maggie, and unbeknown to Rick, getting advice about how to spark up a witty exchange with young ladies. Their facial expressions were animated, and their hand gestures were fervent; his son seemed totally enthralled in what the two young women were telling him. Rick let a small grin play on his face as he thought of how good it was to still be there with his friends; his family.

Like always, Rick's gaze found its way to Michonne; he could not help it, he was drawn to her. He was always drawn to her and she had this overwhelming power over Rick without even doing or saying one single thing. He could barely explain it, in fact, he was at a loss to explain it; all he knew was that he had to be near her. Close enough to hear her earthy, rich voice which gently caressed his ears; a caress made all the more sweet when she laughed or when she whispered his name. Close enough to see the light dancing across her immaculate, beautiful skin. Skin that felt even more soft to touch than it looked. Skin that he relished after trailing kisses over her body. He was captivated by Michonne. It had started back at the prison, when he would find himself stealing secret glances at her while no one was looking. She was a mystery to him, and Rick found himself ever intrigued by her. He smiled as he thought of how he no longer needed to steal secret anythings from Michonne anymore; she was his, and he was hers. He watched her and thought of how at ease she looked then and there. Life had not been easy for anyone up until that point in time, but sometimes, just for a little while, you could just exist in the moment. You could be content with your life and the people in it. Rick was more than content with Michonne. She had been a blessing to him and he could finally admit what he had known for some time; that he was in love with her.

Michonne was sitting on a chair behind Sasha, and skilfully finishing a second French braid at the side of the young woman's head. Rick could not help but think of their unborn child in that instance. If they had a daughter, would Michonne braid her hair like that? She would be gorgeous like her mother, he thought as he was encompassed by a feeling of hope for the future, _their _future. It was not the ideal situation to be in, living in this world, bringing a child into this world; Rick knew that all too well. But it was _their_ situation, and Rick Grimes was determined to do all that he could to make it work.

Rick, holding a sleeping motioned for Carl to follow him back to the area where their tents were located. Lately, Judith's bedtime usually meant it was Carl's bedtime too; although the boy did not complain that evening as he was quite lethargic. Rick looked back to where Michonne had been sitting with Bob and Sasha, but noticed that she was no longer there. He caught a glimpse of her heading toward her tent and felt somewhat disappointed; he had hoped that she might move her belongings into his tent and stay with him. Rick realized that he had not even thought to ask her to stay with him; he felt a little foolish then. He also felt hurt by the fact that she had not even wished him and the children goodnight. He would see to his children, then go and seek out Michonne; hoping that she would be able to sweeten the sour mood he currently found had come over him.

"Carl." Started Rick. "With everything that's happened, we ain't had to time to talk about a few things."

The boy yawned, rubbed his eyes and looked at his father squatting at the opening of the tent.

"I know dad, but can't it wait until tomorrow?"

Rick smiled and nodded: "Okay son. Tomorrow."

With that he bid Carl goodnight, walked over to his own tent, searched for a towel and a flashlight and made his way toward the communal showers. He thought briefly about going to see if Michonne might like to join him, but reasoned that she was probably too tired. That had to be why she had slipped away to her tent without so much as a goodnight. Rick realized that he was becoming increasingly annoyed at that moment. He was annoyed because he felt a familiar fear creeping back; a fear that Michonne was pulling away from him again. He entered the darkened showers, found one of the solar-powered camping lanterns that was available for use by residents and switched it on. Rick disrobed, turned one of the showers on and stepped under the cool water. It offered him relief in the heat of the night; he felt his worries wash away under the steady stream as he closed his eyes and held his face up to the shower head.

* * *

Feeling completely refreshed, Rick walked briskly back from the showers and headed toward his tent. He passed the area where a few members of his group were still gathered.

"Michonne's lookin' for you." Said Carol and Rick stopped in his tracks.

"Thanks. Where is she?" He asked, silently thankful that she had sought him out.

"Uh, I think she went back to her tent." Came her reply.

Rick did not bother to take his towel and flashlight back to the rest of his belongings, but instead made his way to where Michonne was. He found her lying barefoot on her rolled out sleeping bag, where her tent used to be with her head resting on her backpack, katana at her side, looking up at the night sky.

"Hey." He said, smiling down at her, mentally noting how adorable, and somewhat weird, she was.

"Everything okay?" Rick asked, always concerned.

"Yes. Everything's fine. Why do you ask?" Replied Michonne.

"Nah, it's nothin'." Rick offered, playing down how he noticed she had left earlier without saying anything.

"Missed you leave before. I thought you were goin' to sleep. I wanted to say goodnight." He said as he flopped down beside Michonne who was still lying on her back looking to the stars.

"Oh no, I was just coming to grab my stuff, but you were already gone when I got back."

Now she sat up, and fixed the backpack to herself. Rick looked at her confused.

"What's goin' on, Michonne. Where are you going with that?" He said with his brow furrowed, worry evident in his tone.

She let out a small chortle as she realized what it must have looked like; her tent was taken down and put away and she had her bag packed. It looked like she was going somewhere, and given her previous erratic behaviour, it was not such a stretch for Rick to assume it.

"Well, I thought I could stay with you again, I mean, if that's alright."

"Shit. You scared me." He said, running his fingers through his wet hair. "I thought you were takin' off on me."

"Rick, seriously? I'm not goin' anywhere." She smiled at him and he let out a relieved laugh.

"Sorry, I dunno what I was thinkin'. Of course you wouldn't do that now. Sorry, I'm such a dumbass." He apologized, feeling quite silly because of his assumption.

"So," she began. "Can I stay with you?"

She did not have to wait to hear Rick's response to her question; his wide smile already told her that his answer was yes.

Later in the evening, after Rick and Michonne had made love in what was now _their_ tent, they both lay naked in each other's arms. Rick felt a different sense of euphoria this time because, after admitting to Michonne that he loved her earlier in the day, and having her reciprocate his feelings, he did not have to hold back any longer. He was able to say _I love you_ while slowly and gently exploring her body with his hands and mouth. When he slid his length inside of her warm centre. When she breathed out his name and he caught her mouth with his own. When he spilled his seed inside of her and fought to catch his breath. It felt truly wonderful to say those three words amidst their passionate embrace; it felt so natural for him to utter a simple _I love you_ and made their coming together all the more special. Special because, as Rick smiled and recalled, Michonne said it again too.

Their breathing had returned to normal after a moment; hesitantly, Michonne shifted away from Rick a little, in an effort to find some cool comfort in the hot tent. He was not ready to let her go, not just yet, so he placed his right arm under her head and turned so that he was facing her. Rick placed a soft kiss to her temple and quietly listened to the calming sound of her gentle breathing. He slid his left hand over her abdomen where their child was growing inside of her.

"You know I'm gonna do my best to make sure everything will be alright?" Rick suddenly and tenderly asked in hushed tones.

Michonne smiled and looked to him, feeling completely safe and completely loved. She reached her hand for his that was protectively placed over their growing child; she then realized, as she ran her thumb across Rick's fingers, that he had removed his wedding ring. She said nothing, knowing exactly what it meant that he had removed it. Finally, she answered:

"I know you'll do your best, Rick. You always do."

* * *

A/N: Sorry, this was a bit of a filler. Next chapter, they're going to have to tell Carl about the pregnancy!


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: Thanks for the reviews! Glad to hear that everyone is still enjoying the story; it really does make me smile when I hear from the lovely readers.

Responses, because you are all divine:

DCSDaniele: Thank you very much; I am truly glad that you've been enjoying my writing.

Guest: They are cute though, aren't they? Hehehe I love me some cuteness!

literaturechick: Oh it took a little while for them to get to the point of honesty and trust, and I'm glad they're finally there too. I love them as well.

Alex311: Aww, I'm glad my little musings from the other side of the world helped to calm you for your exam. I'm flattered! Oh and I hope you did well ;)

lanie-love09: I swear you've been reading my mind! Lol it's inevitable isn't it, that he's going to be overprotective? I'm going to have so much fun writing overprotective Rick!

KyannaLashae: My little mate Carl can be so temperamental when he's upset, so let's hope that he isn't!

Amrcncpprhd: Thanks; I always like to get the dialogue right because there's only so much explaining I can do. Glad you're enjoying it!

Stacy: I've barely given any thought to what the group would say and do; but it's coming, just gotta sort Carl out first :)

Kam: Yes, they need to be close to one another and I'm glad she's staying with him also. Now, about telling Carl and the others…

Aurora-of-Aragon: Aww, I'm winning when I can bring on the butterflies and sighs! Lol You know, I think you're right in saying that everyone is expecting Maggie to be pregnant because she has a husband and because of the scare she and Glenn had at the start of S4. So far, we know why Michonne had the initial aversion to babies but there is nothing to suggest that she would not fully embrace being a mother again. You raise some valid points! :) And if not for wishful thinking, none of us would be here discussing our beloved characters right now!

Okay, here goes…

* * *

Sometimes Rick Grimes could scarcely believe how lucky he had been. Yes, his life had been fraught with loss, heartache and danger, but looking into his daughter's blue, smiling eyes made him certain that he was one of the lucky ones; especially in the world that they had inherited. To Rick, his children made everything seem worthwhile because if not for them, for their future, then why did he fight so hard? Why did he risk everything he had, his own safety, to protect them? The answer was simple; _it's not what you take when you leave this world behind you, it's what you leave behind you when you go_. They were his legacy; they were his reason for living and they were _his_. They had every right to exist; and while the struggles were frequent and the danger was real, he had to believe that there was something better for them. He had to believe that there would be joy for them; that they would know how complete one could feel when they loved someone and are loved in return. If he could be certain that if his children found even the smallest piece of the adoration and awe-inspiring devotion that he felt, in his swollen heart, then he could rest easy knowing that there was something beautiful in their futures.

He smiled as he thought of his unborn child growing inside of Michonne; he truly was a lucky man. He did not dwell on the past anymore; he did not feel sorry for himself because of the suffering he had endured. No, that was too easy, and nothing came easy for Rick; he preferred instead to see the blessings that had been placed in his life. Michonne had been a blessing and this child would be a blessing as well. He did not have to be afraid of what might happen for he knew that he could handle it; he could handle anything, he _had _to.

Rick placed a tender kiss to Judith's head as he made his way to one of the classrooms that was set up as a child minding centre to enable adults to be able to participate in their day-to-day duties. The residents called it the Day Care. The woman, Rita, who was mainly responsible for the small children during the daylight hours was in her late fifties and had a kind face. Carol occasionally relieved her of her duties when she was not seeing to the education of the older children; she taught them to read and write and how to use weapons. This time, it was not a secret; the parents were glad of it and Carol seemed at peace with herself and her decisions. Rick offered Carol a nod in greeting as he handed Judith over and smiled at his friend; he walked away intent on tracking down Carl.

The morning air was thick and there was no relief from the heat; Rick found Carl at the garden, getting ready to begin his work for the day. Rick and Michonne had decided that they would inform the teenager about their pregnancy when they all took their lunch break together; there was no need to have him distracted from his morning duties, Michonne had reasoned. Rick was intrigued to see what Carl would say and how he would react from the news. He honestly had no idea how it would all work out; what he did know was that he was ready to, once again, deal with what life had thrown in his path. Rick smiled while pulling on his gloves and glancing over at his son as Carl set about gathering the implements that they would be using.

The hot sun displayed neither remorse nor pity for its unyielding assault on Rick and Carl Grimes. At the very least, the younger Grimes had his hat to protect his pale skin from being burned. His father, on the other hand, had developed a tan from his days spent working outside. He no longer felt the burn, but the heat still persisted. Rick wiped the sweat from his brow and took a small sip from his water bottle; still clearly recalling his own father's words about not drinking too much water when you were working for it made you weak. From the position of the midday sun, Rick knew it was time for him and his son to take a break to eat their lunch. Rick whistled to get Carl's attention, and they both made their way to where Michonne would be waiting for them with Judith.

She smiled as the two men who meant the most to her in this world approached, looking positively exhausted from the heat. She whispered to Judith, who was seated on her lap, to look to where they were walking, getting closer and closer; the small girl became excited at the sight of her father and brother. Rick smiled at the two ladies who meant the most to him in this world and sat down at the picnic table directly across from them. Carl took up a place next to his father, took a drink from his water bottle then began to eat; all was quiet at the table while Rick thought about how he would begin the conversation with his son. Michonne watched Rick waiting for him to initiate; when he swallowed what he had chewed and washed it down, she knew he was ready.

"Carl." Started Rick, turning to face his son. "You know how Michonne and I have been together, are _together_?"

Carl looked to his father, an awkward expression crossing the younger man's features.

"Yeah dad, I know. Daryl said you've been _together_ a while now. It's fine, really. I'm glad the two of you are happy." Said the teenager in earnest.

"I know you both deserve to be happy." He added, looking at Michonne and smiling. He knew all too well about what she had lost, how far she had descended and what it took for her to come back. Carl loved her wholly and took comfort in knowing that she loved him just the same. She was his protector, his best friend; she was like a mother to him. After all of the heartache and loss, he could think of no one he would rather see his father with.

Rick offered a small smile and nodded slightly as he glanced from Carl to Michonne.

"Thanks son, that means a lot to hear you say that." Rick said quietly as he prepared himself for what he had to tell Carl next.

"There's, ah, somethin' else we needed to talk to you about as well, Carl. Somethin' serious, but you don't need to worry none, everything's gonna be okay." His father continued as Carl's brow furrowed and his eyes narrowed, much in the same fashion as Rick's did.

"What is it, dad?" He asked, seemingly concerned.

"Well," Rick began. "I don't know any other way to say it, so I'm just gonna be straight with ya; Michonne's pregnant. We're gonna have a baby."

Carl screwed his face up slightly, closed his eyes briefly then shook his head; wondering if he had heard correctly what his father had just divulged. He looked to Michonne for confirmation; she understood that he was asking an unspoken question so she nodded to him.

"Are you for real? What the Hell is wrong with you two? It's dangerous. Dad! What's wrong with you? You know what happened to mom and now you wanna knock Michonne up too!" Carl yelled as he stood from where he was seated.

Michonne's eyes widened in surprise at his outburst.

"Carl," she began, before he interrupted what she was about to say.

"No! Michonne, this isn't good! You could be hurt; you could die! Dad! I can't believe you guys!" He exclaimed loudly, his voice faltering in the tiniest way and tears of frustration forming in his eyes.

Rick stood then and inched closer to his son, reaching a comforting hand to his shoulder which Carl roughly shrugged away.

"No! Don't touch me! She could die, dad! I can't do this again!"

Carl's gaze fell on Michonne once more.

"I can't lose you like I lost mom. I just can't! I can't believe you guys could be so stupid! You assholes!" He screamed before turning and running toward the school buildings.

"Carl!" Called Michonne as handed Judith to her father and went to follow the boy; Rick gently grabbed her arm and shook his head.

"Let him go, he needs a little time." He offered sadly.

"Fuck." Was all Michonne could say as she placed herself heavily back to where she was seated; weighed down from unhappiness from having hurt and disappointed Carl.

* * *

The sun had begun to set and Carl had been gone for the entire afternoon. Michonne, still upset from what had transpired earlier in the day, went to find the teenager. She needed him to know that, while his fears were valid, he should not place blame on his father. This pregnancy was not something Rick had _done _to Michonne; it was not a curse, it was not an affliction. While no one could know the future, she had to tell Carl that there was always a chance that everything might work out. She also needed him to know that she would never willingly do anything to hurt him. Michonne just hoped that she would find him before the daylight gave way to darkness.

Meanwhile, in a quietened corner of a long ago emptied classroom, a couple of young men sat drinking aged whiskey from a single bottle.

"I still can't fuckin' believe it man. Grimes is still here. What were they thinkin'? What did your daddy say?" Asked Brandon, quite aggravated by the fact the Rick was allowed to remain in the Settlement after his actions toward them on the supply run not too long ago.

His companion, Thom, took another gulp of the bitter liquid and held his forearm to his mouth in an effort to stop the contents from dribbling out.

"Fucked if I know why they let him stay. My old man ain't done shit. He wouldn't tell me anything about it neither. Guess they think he's more valuable to the group than we thought they did."

Brandon received the bottle from Thom and partook in another burning mouthful before continuing his rant.

"I mean, come on man, what did he say to 'em? How did he talk his way out of it? Your daddy is on that Council, how the fuck they gonna just let him get away with it?" He asked, still in disbelief as he shook his head.

"I dunno. I bet it's 'cause he got them two kids. They wouldn't send him away with them kids. You know who'd be able to tell us?" Thom asked, his eyes lighting up at remembering he had an ally inside of the Council; a less diplomatic man than his father who would unravel the mystery for them of why Rick Grimes was allowed to stay.

"Who?"

"Gary. He can't stand that Grimes prick. That's why I was sure he'd be banished 'cause Gary's on the Council too." Answered Thom as he moved to stand, swaying as the alcohol affected him.

"Where you goin', man?" Brandon asked, staring up at Thom.

"To find Gary and find out why they didn't throw Grimes out on his ass."

* * *

Carl Grimes sat with his back pressed against the cool brick wall of one of the school buildings, staring out of the chain-link fence. His eyes had long dried from his scared tears but they felt swollen and stung slightly. Night was falling quickly and he felt his stomach clench and grumble, but he just could not face them yet. He was afraid that their stupidity, _Rick's _stupidity was going to get Michonne killed. He still remembered what it felt like to put that bullet in his mother's head; he did not want to have to do that again. Carl's head throbbed as he used both hands to wipe his face and press against his temple for relief.

Carl felt a wave of weariness wash over him; while he did not want to speak with his father and Michonne, he did want to return to their area and turn in for the night. He dragged himself up and made his way around the corner with his head hanging low and his hat covering his eyes. He walked at a slow pace, not noticing the last rays of daylight slipping away.

"Well, well. Look what we have here." Came a voice Carl did not recognize. He lifted his head slowly to see two men standing before him. The one who had spoken, a young blonde man, stood in front of Carl and looked the teenager up and down; the other man, with dark hair, moved to the side of the boy, wearing a smirk on his face. Carl's right hand instinctively moved to where his weapon sat; but, to his dismay he realized he was not wearing it having come from the garden to eat before he ran away in anger. The action was not missed by Thom as he let out a laugh.

"Don't like your odds, uh boy? Just like your bitch-ass daddy. But you ain't got your gun on ya, do you? You ain't gon' do shit."

Listening to the man, Carl knew in that moment he was the same one who Rick had been in the altercation with.

"What do you want from me?" The boy asked quietly, still feeling upset from before, now his sadness and frustration was mixed with anger for the men that had approached him.

Thom stepped closer and leaned his face near Carl's, the stench of alcohol caused the teenager to screw his face up.

"What do I want from you? Shit, I don't want nothin' from you. Fuck you!" He said, as he used his hand to knock Carl's hat from his head; Brandon laughed.

"I want somethin' from your daddy. I want him to pay. No matter what I gotta do, he's gonna pay."


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: Thanks for the reviews. This was really hard for me to write, so let's see how we go…

Warning: explicit violence and character death

* * *

Michonne walked hurriedly from near the administration building in the direction of a block of classrooms that she had not yet checked for Carl. She had asked a few people if they had seen him and none could remember if they had; Daryl said he would help her look after he did perimeter check. Her frustration was beginning to escalate as the darkness of the night crept steadily over the ever-fading sky. The secluded area of abandoned classrooms near the fence would be her last destination to look for the boy who was like her own son. She did not want him to go to sleep that night without talking through some of the issues he was facing in regard to the pregnancy. She knew his young mind would find it difficult to process the information; that he would draw a parallel between, and resort to the memory that was the most recent for him, which was his mother's pregnancy and her death.

Michonne was aware of what had happened to Rick's wife; the complications with Judith's birth and Carl having to put her down. Rick spoke about it briefly and infrequently, still carrying the guilt of not being able to protect her and not being there to save Carl from doing what he had to do. Michonne had never heard Carl speak about the incident. He would speak about his mother, but never about her death; now Michonne felt terrible that _she_ was causing him to remember the traumatic experience; that her own pregnancy was causing Carl to feel afraid. She had told Carl several months ago that he did not need to be afraid of her; it had never crossed her mind that the boy would be so afraid _because _of her. That he would be afraid of losing her, especially of losing her like this. It seemed he could handle the dangers of the runs that they went on and the constant threat of walker attacks, but what made him feel the most fear was losing Michonne in the same way that he had lost his mother.

Michonne had hoped that Carl would see reason; that he would understand that sometimes these things happened and that he should not be angry with his father. She knew he had a penchant for placing blame on his father; she had noticed that many of the survivors who followed Rick previously had shared the same proclivity to blame Rick for things that he, for the most part, had little or no control over. After all that they had been through recently, she was hopeful that, after he vented his anger, Carl would be calm enough to talk to them; that he would be calm enough to realize that being scared and being angry were very different, even though the two emotions were closely linked. She needed to tell him it was natural to be scared and that she was afraid also, and so was Rick; but they all needed to be _together_ to get through it in one piece. They needed to be on the same side and not resenting and blaming one another for things that may not ever come to pass. She was resolute in her intention to stay with Carl and talk to him for as long as he needed or wanted to; but first of all, Michonne just needed to find her boy.

* * *

Carl Grimes looked down to the ground where his hat had fallen after Thom had unceremoniously knocked it from his head seconds before. The teenager raised his eyes to the young man standing before him who smelled like he had been drenched in alcohol; he lifted his head to follow his line of sight and said clearly and determinedly:

"Fuck _me_? How about, fuck _you_!"

Carl spat the words slowly and evenly, not breaking his gaze with Thom. Brandon laughed incredulously and looked to Thom.

"Shit. He's got some balls, or maybe he's just stupid." The darkhaired man offered.

Thom clenched his right hand into a fist and narrowed his eyes.

"What did you say to me, boy?"

Carl let out his own disbelieving laugh and stared the man directly in the eyes; unflinching and unwavering.

"I think you're the one who's stupid," Carl offered staunchly. "Oh and I said _fuck you_."

Thom swung his fist and forcefully punched Carl in the stomach, causing the teenager to become winded; he doubled over in pain while trying to catch his breath. Brandon grabbed Carl from behind, holding him by both arms and made him stand so that Thom could land another punch to his stomach. Carl let out a pained groan and coughed as he gasped for air; he struggled to become free from Brandon's grip, but to no avail.

"Fuckin' hold him up straighter!" Thom ordered, and Brandon lifted Carl up once again, bringing the boy's arms further backwards causing him more discomfort.

Thom swung his fist and it connected with Carl's mouth; the blow forced the teenager's head violently to the side as blood spilled from where his lip had been split. Carl suddenly became somewhat too heavy for Brandon to hold and he let him fall to the hard ground, with his arms folded over his stomach, still unable to straighten up from the impact of the punches he had suffered. Thom, staggering slightly, drew his right foot back and used it to kick the teenager in the side, cracking a rib as he did so. Carl cried out in pain and tried to use his arm to shield his body from blow after blow inflicted by Thom's boot as he repeatedly kicked him another three or four times. He then leaned over and hit Carl in the face again and again; Carl brought his left arm up to block the next punch and used his left leg to kick Thom in the stomach, forcing the man to fall backwards onto the ground himself. The teenager's victory was short-lived as Brandon took it upon himself to drive his elbow hard into Carl's temple knocking him unconscious. The boy's body went limp and he fell back to the ground as a steady stream of blood poured from his nose and mouth.

Brandon, a little shocked at the force he had used, leaned down to check if the youngster was still breathing as Thom struggled groggily to make it back to his feet. He rested on one knee and stood slowly as he felt the sharp point of some kind of weapon pressed against his back. Before he could do or say anything, the blade of Michonne's katana ran through the back of his body and exited out of the front. He fell to the ground with a thud as she withdrew her blade and moved toward Carl's body and Brandon standing over him.

"Don't you fucking touch him." She murmured, barely audible, as she aimed her sword to Brandon's throat.

She was shaking as she glanced down to see the pool of blood that had formed on the ground near Carl's head. Rage filled her as she looked back to the darkhaired man while he slowly began to move away. Michonne lunged forward and used her sword to pierce Brandon right through the heart; she swiftly used her foot against his chest to leverage the katana as she simultaneously withdrew it and kicked his body away from Carl. She then dropped her weapon and fell to her knees next to the boy, tears streaming down her face and soft, pained whimpers escaping from her mouth. She placed her ear to his nose to see if he was still breathing and held two fingers to his neck to check for a pulse. He was breathing faintly and his pulse was weak; Michonne removed her headband and used it to wipe the blood away from Carl's battered face. She gently lifted him to her lap and held him close to her as she stroked his forehead and brushed his hair away from his face. She placed a soft kiss to his brow as she whispered to him, through her sobs and tears: "It's okay, baby boy, I've got you. I've got you, baby boy."

* * *

A/N: I'm sorry, I know that was as horrible to read as it was to write; hopefully my little mate Carl pulls through.


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: Thank you all for the reviews. It's always tricky to write violence, especially against a character that I've come to care about, so I'm glad everyone was okay with it.

Now, some responses:

castlefan83: I remember you were spot on in saying those people were off; it was very perceptive of you!

Nina: It was breaking my heart to write that chapter. There's great tenderness within Michonne, and she has the capacity for it to be very natural to display said tenderness, especially when it comes to Carl.

Guest: Thanks for taking the time to leave your thoughts. I am glad that I was able to convey the protectiveness that Michonne has for Carl; she would definitely seek vengeance on _anyone_ who would foolishly hurt those she cares for. Also, I'm glad readers like my version of Rick; I find him extremely interesting. Given time, I hope that he could be this way in the show, even if it was just a little. He's my second favourite character, obviously Michonne is my number one!

GUEST: Ha! I know right, I am terrible. Sometimes after I finish writing a scene, or leave a chapter on a cliff hanger, I quietly tell myself how terrible I am *insert maniacal laugh here* lol

Alex311: Thanking you. Yes, Michonne would do anything to protect Carl, just as Rick would. That is why I love Richonne together, there is such a likeness in them that is unspoken. It's why the characters have so much chemistry, it is there underneath; the lengths to which they would go for those they love!

MissChocolateoxo: Aww your ugly cries comment made me lol because it is indeed true! I'm glad you brought up André. I would love to eventually try to write a scene that details what happened when she found him (I'd be ugly crying though!). I wanted it to be apparent that she would be going through the same terror that filled her when she found André, but did not want it to diminish her scene with Carl. So, I'm glad you recognised that parallel, clever lady you are :)

CM-x-SN-x-HP-x-roxmysox: Thank you so much for the kind words and your support. Glad you're enjoying my fic.

Guest: Thank you. It's always nice to receive feedback and know that readers are liking my fics. Indeed, pregnant Michonne is awesome!

DCSDaniele: Exactly, she will always try to be there to take care of Carl. She is compassionate, loyal and fierce and that is why I love her!

lanie-love09: That's great, I was aiming for the opening of the chapter to emphasise Michonne's desperation. I agree, she definitely knew something was amiss as her maternal instincts kicked in. Dear Lanie, you are good! Have I told you that before? Well, you are! I hoped that someone would mention that Carl was behaving in the same way he did in S2 by running off and throwing a tantrum. I obviously needed him to end up alone somewhere for the plot to develop, but I also wanted to show how immature he still is in many ways, having him act like S2 Carl was the easiest way for me to do that, and like always, you were right onto it! Oh and I totally agree, if they can't kill an adult-sized walker without a gun, then they need an escort.

Kam: They're mother effing wankers, that's how they could do that to him lol but seriously, it is sad that people can be so cold and violent, especially towards a kid. Oh and I'm glad you asked about the stupid Council because, just quietly, we may be hearing from them again!

Guest: I was aiming to wrench a few hearts hehehe Thanks for your feedback; it is appreciated!

KyannaLashae: My mate and fellow Richonne shipper refers to Michonne as Mama Bear as well. You make me smile :)

Okay, let's check in…

* * *

Daryl Dixon had just made his way to the last stretch of fence that needed checking as he walked the perimeter of the Settlement. The night had almost set in, save for the very last glint of light from the dying sun. He would be pleased when his duty for the day was finished as he felt uncommonly tired; although he had promised Michonne he would help her look for Carl, he did not mind because they were family. As Daryl stepped from behind the block of classrooms, what he saw forced the breath from his body; Michonne crying and cradling a blood-covered Carl near two dead bodies. Daryl rushed forward quickly and flopped down beside Michonne and Carl.

"What happened? 'Chonne, what happened? Talk to me." He pleaded, dread filling him as he looked down at Carl's battered and bloody face.

Michonne found it hard to get the words out between her violent sobbing.

"They hurt him, Daryl. Oh god, look at him!" She cried, holding him tighter.

"Is he…alive?" Daryl stammered, almost afraid to ask the question.

Michonne nodded but intentionally not meeting Daryl's eyes.

"Who in the Hell are they?" He asked as he moved to check the faces of the dead men.

"Fuck!" He let out loudly, as he recognized that they were the ones who Rick had had the trouble with before. "Fuckin' motherfuckers!"

Daryl paced backwards and forwards several times; trying to process the whole scenario that he had just wandered upon. He squatted back down beside Michonne and Carl, his face etched with worry and hers etched in sadness. He knew that what had occurred that afternoon could escalate and start an all-out war after Rick would inevitably see what had happened to his son. A war could also start if the leaders of the Settlement found out that two of their own were killed inside of the walls of the camp, even if it was in the defence of a teenager. Many of the survivors already thought that Rick's group were dangerous. The Council already knew of the animosity between Rick and Thom and had just recently rectified their initial problem; but what they were faced with presently was a huge mess. Rick's son had been beaten unconscious and Thom and Brandon lay dead at the hand of Rick's woman. There was no telling what would happen now, especially knowing the rules about violence within the Settlement and especially knowing that John, the main Council leader was the father of one of the dead men. Daryl had to think of a way to put this right; a way that protected his family and he had to think quickly.

"Rick." Michonne whispered, looking at Daryl with her tear-filled eyes. "Get Rick."

Daryl nodded, sprang to his feet and ran to where he knew he would find Rick.

A short while later, Rick, Tyreese and Daryl sprinted over to the area where Michonne and Carl were. Terror filled Rick's eyes as he saw Carl lying limply in Michonne's arms. Her eyes met his as more tears began to fall. Rick noted the apologetic look that she wore; how scared she seemed.

"He's okay." She whispered. "He's breathing. He just won't wake up. Rick, I can't get him to wake up." She cried as Rick moved closer to them and sat down. He used his water bottle to pour a small amount of water on his son's beaten face in an effort to rouse the boy. It did not work.

"He's knocked out." Said Ty after a short while, looking closely at the lump that had formed at Carl's temple, "He'll come to when he's ready, but we need to wet a cloth to keep him cool and to keep the swelling down; give him some space so he can get some fresh air on him. Rick, you gotta get him back to his tent. The two of you, take him back, make him comfortable and keep him cool; we got this. No one can know what happened here. We'll clean it up."

The job was going to be grisly, but it had to be done if they wanted to ensure that Michonne would be protected from the Council's wrath and admonishment. Daryl and Tyreese set about their task while each vaguely knew one way or another that Rick would soon return to assess the damage and assist them with what needed doing.

Daryl looked at Ty and nodded; they would take care of the bodies of the men who had attacked Carl. They would destroy any evidence that anything had ever happened there. Rick stood and dipped his head in agreement and acknowledgement. He gently moved Michonne's arms away from Carl as he lifted his son up carefully; Michonne moved to stand and followed behind Rick who held Carl in his strong embrace. She stopped suddenly, turned around walked back and picked up Carl's dusty hat from where it had fallen.

* * *

Rick sat at the opening of the tent, while Michonne sat inside, next to Carl and held the wet cloth to his brow. The swelling on his face appeared to become darker as it bruised and his breathing and pulse became stronger. Suddenly, Carl began to shift awkwardly as he groaned and opened his eyes. Michonne felt a wave of relief wash over her as Carl looked into her eyes and tried to offer her a smile although his mouth was sore. She beamed down at Carl and gently kissed his forehead.

"Hey you." She said. "You had me worried for a little while."

"I'm sorry. Where's dad?" He asked.

"I'm here buddy. It's okay." Said Rick weakly as he moved forward so Carl could see him.

"Those guys, the ones who did this to me…"

"Don't you worry about 'em. You're safe now. They can't hurt you now." Rick offered, his voice faltering slightly as he thought of how close they had come to causing Carl damage beyond repair.

"You rest." Said Michonne. "We'll talk about it in the morning."

The boy nodded in agreement and stayed quiet a moment before speaking once again.

"Michonne?" Carl started, fighting back tears. "Will you stay with me tonight?"

She smiled sadly at the teenager and said, "Of course I will, sweetie. I'm not goin' anywhere."

His father, on the other hand, needed to go back to Tyreese and Daryl to assist with the clean-up. He bid his family goodnight, grabbed a flashlight and ambled determinedly in the direction of the abandoned classrooms.

* * *

Later in the evening, after Carl had been examined properly and his wounds tended to, Michonne brought some food to him. The teenager was finding it difficult to chew because of his swollen, split lip, but managed to eat a portion of it to sustain what little strength he had left. Carl was finding it difficult to move with ease and ached all over. Michonne padded his sleeping area with as many sleeping bags and blankets that she could gather and settled in next to her stepson; he lay flat on his back and she on her side watching him. The dim glow of the lowly placed camping lantern made their shadows seem large and oppressive in the small space of the tent.

"Michonne?" Carl asked quietly. "Those men, did you?"

She nodded, already understanding what the boy wanted know; he was curious if they were dead.

"I took care of them; now your dad, Ty and Daryl are taking care of what I did."

Silence pervaded a small while before she went to speak again.

"They were tryin' to hurt your dad by hurting you. They were cowards. You don't need to think about 'em anymore." She stated adamantly before adding: "I won't let anyone hurt you Carl. You're like a son to me; I'd do anything to protect you, to keep you safe. I'm just so sorry I didn't get there earlier. I'm sorry that me and your dad upset you. We…"

"No." He interjected. "I get it now, you and dad don't have to be sorry; you guys didn't do anything wrong. I was just so pissed 'cause…I'm…scared. I don't want anything to happen to you. I don't…"

He became quiet again; Michonne waited patiently, knowing that Carl had more to say, he just needed to find the words.

"I just don't want you to die like my mom did. I don't wanna lose you too. I don't want my dad to go through it again. We're a family now, my dad is happy again; you're happy and I'm happy too. And I'm sorry for actin' like a jerk to you guys."

Michonne smiled warmly at Carl before she offered an admission of her own.

"I'm sorry for everything you had to go through, Carl. Everything with your mom, I know it couldn't have been easy for you and it's not fair. It's not fair on you, Judy…your dad."

Michonne stopped speaking a moment, contemplating what she would say next before continuing.

"It's natural for you to be scared and angry sometimes, just promise me you won't blame your dad too much. He already feels guilty about so many things."

Carl nodded knowingly as Michonne kept speaking.

"Ya know, this baby, it's not a terrible thing. Children are gifts, Carl. Just like you and Judith are special; just like André was special, this baby will be too."

Carl smiled at his stepmother as they both felt tears well in their eyes.

"I love you, Michonne." Said Carl earnestly and quietly.

"I love you too, Carl." Michonne replied, and with that the lantern was extinguished and both she and the teenager felt comfort in knowing the bonds of their family were strong.


	16. Chapter 16

A/N: Thanks for the review everyone! Michonne is awesome, don't you agree? Of course you do, that's why I love you! I think that she is very capable of being loving, caring, fierce, loyal and showing deep emotion.

What I don't like is when some fans of TWD series try to say that she was not an emotionally open character, especially with S3. They even went so far as to say that she was disloyal; hell to the no! I don't know what show they were watching, because it wasn't what I saw! Lol She cried openly for Andrea, in front of Rick and Daryl and was loyal to Andrea, despite that friendship falling apart.

I felt like screaming a quote from Morgana Pendragon (if anyone has seen my beloved **_Merlin_**, they'll know):

_"__Don't think I don't understand loyalty just because I've got no one left to be loyal to!"_

And then she found Carl and Rick and everyone else and everyone got to see what we already knew; Michonne is loving, caring and loyal.

Phew, don't mind me, I'm having a fangirl episode.

* * *

Okay, some responses:

literaturechick: It's cool right? How Ty and Daryl just offered their help without a second thought; that's what family is about.

Missy96: Sweet Michonne is great, isn't she? Glad I could make your eyes sweat hehehe

Alex311: I am so very sorry for your loss. I found it very touching what you said about second chances, wow, you're amazing! Thank you xx

CallyGreen: Thanks for leaving a review! I basically live for the moments between Michonne and Carl because they are so great together and I absolutely love writing them. I feel like the both of them have helped the other to heal in many ways.

Amrcncpprhd: Aww, Carl and Michonne's conversations give me life! Lol I love to write the dialogue between them. It's always real, fun, sweet and honest.

KyannaLashae: I agree, the Grimes family unit warms my heart too!

cakebythepound: Thank you for leaving your thoughts! I'm glad you mentioned _Rick's_ second chance; it all happened because of Rick, as a way to hurt him. The Council obviously know how far Rick's group would go to protect each other, so this could all go in a dangerous direction *insert suspenseful music here* Oh and yeah, funny how she's preggers in your story and had to have a little chat with a not-too-enthusiastic Carl as well. Nice work on that, bee tee dub! Great minds indeed!

Here4Funsies: Thank you for reviewing! Hahaha your comments made me smile; I adore Carl and Michonne as well. Yes, the Council is a real worry for our favourite survivors, so watch this space! Oh and I really do like making readers' eyes sweat if I can!

lanie-love09: For really reals I love your reviews haha it really would suck ass if he was brain damaged in the ZA. Oh and, just quietly _where in the hell are Rick, Ty and Daryl gonna find a bag of lime in the middle of the night during the zombie apocalypse _could easily be a fic prompt *wink wink*

: When it's a fic written by me, you should always be afraid for them! _Always!_ *laughs maniacally* but seriously, they might be okay… hehehe

Kam: Shhhhhh! Lol You're right, two well-known guys can't just up and vanish without someone asking questions. Hmmm…

Okay, I've had my fun; now let's see what's going on.

* * *

The small flashlight illuminated the lifeless face of the dead man; the three men who were alive stood in the dark and watched patiently. Suddenly, the dead man began to change as his body, _its_ body, jerked violently several times before its eyes opened widely. The irises, slightly yellow and covered by a light white film, lay at the centre of an orb that was dotted red by petechial haemorrhaging. It made dreadful groaning noises, reached its hands toward the three living men and moved to a sitting position, where it remained fleetingly until Rick Grimes drove the hunting knife forcefully into the top of its head. The walker, that used to be Thom, fell tersely to the ground with an unceremonious thud. Rick did not bat an eyelid as he wiped the bloodstained knife on his jeans and handed it back to Daryl.

Tyreese had wanted to lance the skulls of the dead men before they changed, but Rick had other ideas; after what they had done to his son he felt that type of dignified end was too good for them. Rick, Ty and Daryl stood for nearly twenty minutes waiting for the change to occur, aware that night had set in and they needed to execute the plan quickly. The change had happened to what used to be Brandon first, and Rick swiftly and deftly dispatched it in the same manner he had the latter. Now Daryl's plan could be fully and effectively enforced.

The plan entailed Daryl going to the Council member who handled security the following day and detailing that the fence near the abandoned classrooms was less than sturdy. He would proceed to inform them that he had to dispatch two walkers that had stumbled along to that location and began pushing against the fence. He would then detail how he went to fetch his friend Tyreese and some type of flammable liquid, both men climbed the fence, obviously at a more fortified spot and proceeded to drag the remains of the walkers away and torch them. This was done immediately to prevent other walkers showing up and gaining elevation by standing atop the fallen corpses, thus causing the already weakened fence to become more vulnerable. Before Daryl would relay this to the security person, Ty would return early in the morning with a shovel and turn the dirt to cover the dried blood on the ground in case someone came to inspect.

"Thank you." Rick offered to both Tyreese and Daryl. "You have no idea how much this means to us."

"No need to thank us." Said Ty. "We've gotta protect our own."

Daryl nodded in agreement.

"Yeah man, I mean, there's no way in Hell that fuckin' Council would let her stay after everything that happened with you as well. Shit, they wouldn't believe her and Carl anyways."

"Daryl, Ty, I'm serious. Thank you." Rick stated again.

"After what those pricks did to Carl, she did the right thing." Said Tyreese.

"I probably woulda done worse." Said Rick, a seriousness to his quiet tone as he looked to his friends, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and furrowed his brow.

"You guys gotta understand, I can't have Michonne in any danger right now. She's pregnant."

Both Ty and Daryl looked to Rick with widened eyes; Ty quickly shook Rick's hand to offer his congratulations and Daryl then followed suit.

"So ya see, you're not only protecting her, but you're also protecting my baby." Rick added.

The three men stood there and smiled; after the gruesome activities that they had just took part in because of how the world now was, they still found something beautiful to smile about.

* * *

The sensation of the cool water splashing on Rick's face brought him out of his tired state and made him feel alive and invigorated. What had happened with Carl and Michonne the previous night still weighed heavily on his mind, hence the reason he was still lethargic from his restless sleep. He hoped with everything that was within him that Daryl's plan would work. The part of him that still felt like a law enforcement officer cringed slightly at the fact that they had effectively covered up the killing of Thom and Brandon. The man he was now, the leader, the protector, _the father_, let that feeling wash over him, much like the cold water from this irregular solitary morning shower.

Rick walked briskly back to their eating area where Michonne was with Sasha, Carol and Judith; Carl was still asleep in his tent. Rick kissed Judith's head and gave Michonne's shoulder a gentle squeeze as he sat at the table next to her and took a sip from her coffee. By the bright smiles on the faces of Sasha and Carol that were aimed at him, he figured that Michonne had told them about the pregnancy. Rick looked at the two women and asked:

"What're y'all grinnin' at?"

Both women let out a chortle.

"It's true then, Rick? You really are repopulating the Earth, uh?" Sasha said jokingly.

Rick chuckled a little himself, glanced at Michonne and replied:

"Yeah, looks that way."

Their loud, cheerful laughter drew Carl out of his slumber; he tried to move but winced from the pain in his extremities. He gently pressed his hand to his face and mouth where it felt swollen; it was tender and caused him much discomfort. Carl shook his head and closed his eyes once more, understandably feeling a little sorry for himself. He did as Michonne had directed, and waited in the tent for his father.

* * *

Rick Grimes unzipped the tent where his son was waiting for him; he brought food and water for Carl and placed it down where Michonne had slept.

"Don't try to move too much." He said to his son, as Carl went to sit but found it too difficult.

The boy nodded and averted his gaze from that of his father's.

"How're you feelin'?" Rick asked as he sat beside Carl.

"Like crap." Was his son's answer.

"You'll be fine soon enough."

Both father and son fell silent a moment.

"Carl, we still need to talk about some stuff and things." Rick added quietly. "About the baby."

"I know, Dad. Me and Michonne had a good talk last night. I'm sorry for how I acted. I was just scared of losing her like we lost mom. I didn't wanna think of goin' through it again; I didn't want _you_ to go through it again." Said the teenager.

"I know… but it happens." Said Rick, fully understanding his son's point of view. "Women have been havin' babies since time began, that ain't gonna change."

"Yeah, like Michonne said, it's a gift. This baby is special, just like Judith, just like…" Carl stopped himself from saying André's name; he was unsure of if his father even knew. "Like all babies; this one will be special too."

Rick smiled at his son, sighed loudly and reached into his pocket to retrieve something; it was his wedding ring.

"Carl, before all of this drama hit us, I wanted to talk to you about somethin' else." Rick said as he held the ring tight in his closed hand.

"What is it, Dad?"

"Well, with everything that's happened in our lives, losing Lori, finding Michonne; starting over. I just wanted you to know that I haven't forgotten about your mom. She still has a place in my heart; just like Michonne has. There's room for both of 'em. There's room for you, and Judy…and the new baby."

Carl smiled a little and nodded knowingly; he realised long ago that caring for Michonne did not mean he cared any less for his mother. He was pleased his father had come to see that too.

"I know." Was all the teenager said, which cause Rick to exhale deeply out of relief.

Rick used his thumb and finger to hold his wedding ring up so that Carl could see it. Carl instinctively looked to Rick's left hand and noticed that he had removed it; he stayed quiet, waiting for his father to speak.

"I want you to have this…"

"Dad?" Carl questioned.

"Please, son, hear me out. I want you to have my wedding ring so that you'll always have some good memories of your mom and of our family; you'll remember how much your mom meant to me and that you and Judy are here because of that. You keep it and let it remind you of how much we love you kids."

Carl's eyes began to tear up as he came to understand what Rick was saying to him. He knew that by giving the ring to him, it was a way for his father to move forward; it was a way that he could show his commitment and love for Michonne without disregarding what he had with Lori.

"Thanks Dad." Carl finally said as he took the ring from his father's grasp. "We love you too."

* * *

A/N: So this was really focussed on Rick because I felt like he was left out of the previous instalment a little (not that anyone mentioned because we love Carl and Michonne too hehe).

I wanted Rick to give Carl his ring for a while now but had to wait for the right time; and because I am obsessed with it! Lol It stands out on the TV series and while I don't love it, I don't hate it either. Here's some trivia about me and mine; my dear old mother gave her wedding ring to my older sister after my sister's dad died and,some 13 years later, mum married my father. She said something along the lines of what I've written and my sister was okay with it (she calls _our _father 'dad' now too!) so I guess I'm saying people remember, people move on, it gets easier and there is always, _always_ room in our hearts to love someone else truly and deeply! Okay, I'm gonna go cry somewhere now lol then call my parents!


End file.
